Athletics still has most entries for Palau

With 268 participants registered for the 2005 South Pacific Mini Games in Palau, athletics is easily the biggest contingent of any sport in the quadrennial event set for July 25 to Aug. 4.

According to the Palau Mini Games organizing committee 145 men and 123 women have been enlisted by their respective countries’ athletics federations for the running and field competitions at the National Stadium from July 25 to July 30.

Softball is second in terms of numbers with 256 participants entered for the Mini Games. A total of 137 men and 119 women will compete in the diamond of the Meyuns Softball Field from July 25 to Aug. 4.

Third behind athletics and softball in terms of participants is basketball, which will have a total of 220 participants—110 men and the same number of women—vying for the gold in Palau.

Basketball will be played in two venues, the National Gymnasium and PHS Gymnasium, from July 25 to Aug. 4, tying it with softball and beach volleyball as the longest events of the Games.

Canoeing federations from 10 nations in the region will be sending 164 men and women paddlers to Palau, making it fourth in the depth chart. Ninety-two men and 72 women will make their way to the waters off Meyuns Ramp for the race set for three days beginning on July 29.

Baseball will have the fifth-largest number of participants to the Mini Games with 135 athletes (all men) from six nations participating in the hardball classic. America’s pastime will be played from July 25 to Aug. 3 at the Asahi Baseball Field.

A total of 120 weightlifters—69 men and 51 women—will pit brawn and technique at the Kalau Stadium from July 26 to July 28.

Swimming is expected to have 108 tankers competing for the short, middle, and long distance events at the Meyuns Swimming Pool. The 54 men and 54 women swimmers will try to match each other stroke for stroke from July 25 to Aug. 1.

Lawn tennis has 99 registered players for the Mini Games. The 54 men and 45 women netters will begin their campaign for the singles, doubles, and team medals on July 25. Tennis would be played in three different venues—PPR, Airai, and Ngerchebed tennis courts.

Lawn tennis’ distant cousin table tennis has attracted 85 participants—48 men and 27 women—for Palau. Ping-pong will be played at the Kalau Gymnasium for five days beginning July 29.

With 52 beach volleyball enthusiasts, the sport is No. 10 in the numbers rankings. Beach volleyball is split down the middle with 26 men and 26 women players. Like lawn tennis three locations (PPR, Airai Side, and Koror Side) would be hosting the two-person sport from July 25 to Aug. 4.

Fifty athletes would hold and grapple in the sport of wrestling in Palau. Like baseball, wrestling would be an all-male event and would be held at the Mindszenty Auditorium for two days starting Aug. 2.

Rounding out the 12 sports offered in Palau is triathlon, which has the lowest number of participants with 32 athletes from nine countries. The multi-sport event would be held at the K-B Bridge and Koror Side sites on Aug. 3.