Over 900 medals on hand for Mini Games

The silver, gold, and bronze medals are shown etched with the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games logo created by Kadi Marshal Y. Camacho, in their deep blue clam shell casing. (LEIGH GASES)

The 2022 Pacific Mini Games is undoubtedly history in the making for the Northern Marianas, as it will be the first time the islands will be hosting such an event, and with it, the logo is donned all around the CNMI in flags, banners, and advertisements, which is recognizable from afar and is etched onto the 300 gold, 300 silver, and 300 bronze medals that the winners of each event will take to their home country with them.

This piece of the CNMI that will be adorned in winning athlete’s award cases at home was created by Kadi Marshal Y. Camacho, who is a biology teacher at Marianas High School. His design for the logo was chosen out of a couple other designs back in 2017.

The official seal of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is seen at the back of the gold, silver, and bronze medals that each first, second, and third place winner will take home after the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022 that will be held this June. (LEIGH GASES)

The design of the logo, starting off with the mwaar represent the indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian people of the Northern Marianas. The 11 flowers on it signifies the 11th Pacific Mini Games held since its inception in 1981, in the Solomon Islands, which is held every four years.

There are two athletes on each side in the shape of a Marianas historical icon, the latte stone, holding up the mwaar above and “reaching for excellence,” said Marianas Games Organizing Committee CEO Vicente “Ben” Babauta about the logo.

There is another athlete in the middle of the logo also striving for excellence and is outlined with an outrigger canoe shape, a call to voyaging and the Pacific maritime heritage. There are also fourteen white spaces in the outrigger which symbolize the 14 islands of the Northern Marianas

At the bottom of the design shows a wave with three dots, which is the logo of the Pacific Games Council, and is “all inclusive” of all the countries participating in the event, said Babauta.

Finally, as the CNMI is the host of this year’s Games, on the back of the medals is the official seal of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Camacho was recognized in the one-year countdown for the Games last year for his winning design and has been given an all-access pass to the Mini Games this June.

The medal design was given to an off-island company to produce the over 900 medals together with its clam shell casing in time for the Mini Games. According to Babauta, it cost about $15,000 to $20,000, “because it’s quite heavy and it’s personalized. And because time is of the essence. We spent a little bit on the airfreight to make sure that we have it on hand before the Games. So yes, we do have the medals for the Games. That’s the important thing. And we did get extras just in case and at least we have something also to present as a memento to our government officials and Pacific Games Council executive board.”

Separately, Babauta said that each sport’s winners will be receiving medals based on the different disciplines. He said for the athletics event, there will be about 60 gold, 60 silver, and 60 bronze medal awardees. The biggest sport will be weightlifting, which is expected to give about 180 medals to the first, second, and third place winners. As for team sports like baseball, each member of the winning teams will get a medal as well.

Along with the medals, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has announced cash incentives for CNMI athletes who receive gold, silver, or bronze in their respective sports.

A cash incentive of $5,000 will be given to gold medalists, $2,500 to silver medalists, and $1,000 to bronze medalists in team and individual sports. Torres will also award $1,000 to each member of a team that will win gold medals in their respective team events. Individual event gold medalists will also get an additional $1,000.

Babauta added that there are a lot of incentives for the hard-working CNMI national teams that went through months of practice, long hours, and sleepless nights to represent the CNMI in the Games.

“But at the end of the day, everyone’s a winner whoever is participating in the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games, because that’s what it’s all about. Getting the Pacific islands together, sharing their culture, and also just collaborating… in a sports environment,” he said.