2007 South Pacific Games

13th edition of the South Pacific Games September 2020 XIII South Pacific Games 2007 South Pacific Games logo.png 150 Official logo of the 2007 Games Apia, Upolu Samoa Live the dream! 22 ~5,000 33 sports 25 August 2007 8 September 2007 Tufuga Efi Ofisa Ofisa Apia Park 2003 Suva 2011 Nouméa The 13th South Pacific Games (sm Taʻaloga Lona-Sefulu-Tolu a le Pasefika i Saute), also known as Apia 2007, were held from 25 August to 8 September 2007 in Apia, Samoa. The Games were the thirteenth to be held since the inception of the South Pacific Games in 1963, and included traditional multi-sport event disciplines, such as athletics and swimming, alongside region-specific and smaller events such as outrigger canoeing, surfing and lawn bowls. The principal venue for the Games was Apia Park, with other events taking place at the Faleata Sporting Complex and at other locations around Samoa. The cost of the games was reported to be US$92 million and resulted in significant government debt for Samoa due to infrastructure projects which included replacement bridges and roads.2007-09-03 Games puts Samoa in debt http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s2022986.htm ABC Radio Australia https://web.archive.org/web/20070911193016/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s2022986.htm 2007-09-11 Sports There were 33 sports contested at this edition of the games: 16em Archery Athletics Badminton Baseball Basketball Beach volleyball Bodybuilding Boxing Cricket Football Golf Hockey Judo Lawn bowls Netball Outrigger canoeing Powerlifting Rugby league nines Rugby sevens Sailing Shooting Softball Squash Surfing Swimming Table tennis Taekwondo Tennis Touch rugby Triathlon Volleyball Weightlifting Wrestling Opening ceremony The opening ceremony took place on 25 August 2007 at Apia Park Stadium and was performed in a traditional Samoan and Pacific style,South Pacific Games opens in Apia http://www.matangitonga.to/article/sports/other/sp_games_270807_0920.shtml MatangiTonga online 2007-08-27 2007-08-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20110527144958/http://www.matangitonga.to/article/sports/other/sp_games_270807_0920.shtml 27 May 2011 dead welcoming some 5,000 athletes from 22 nations and territories to Samoa. The ceremony was attended by Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa (who also competed in the Games - see below), and Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, Head of State. Choreographed by Samoan contemporary dancer Alan AiolupoteaCherelle Jackson Letter from Samoa: SPG opens with a bang http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10461406 The New Zealand Herald 2007-09-03 2007-09-06 the ceremony featured dancing portraying the "mystical legends" from Samoa's island heritage (such as the stories of Sina and the Eel and Nafanua) with a five-year-old female fire dancer from Siumu Village performing a siva afi (or fire stick dance) accompanied by a Samoan song depicting the flow of lava following the 1905 eruptions near Savai'i being one of the showcase displays.Ali Tepuke South Pacific Games Open in Apia, Samoa http://solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=553 Solomon Times online 2007-08-27 2007-08-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20070930095741/http://solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=553 30 September 2007 live Former New Zealand Idol winner Rosita Vai sang an accompaniment to the torch lighting of the ceremonial flame by Ofisa Ofisa, a Samoan weightlifter.Fire, Dance and Song Bring in the Games from Samoa2007.ws Following a rest day on Sunday, the sporting events of the Games began on Monday, 27 August. Participation by Samoan Prime Minister Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi competed for his country at the Games in the sport of target archery.http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10458420 Samoa PM draws bow for his country Andrews, John 18 August 2007 The New Zealand Herald 14 September 2011 In participating in the Games, the Prime Minister became the first elected leader to represent his country at a multi-sport event. Having taken up the sport only 5 months prior to the Games, Tuilaepa was ranked second in Samoa in the combined bow discipline. The Prime Minister's son was also a reserve team member. On day 10 of the Games, Tuilaepa won a silver medal in the mixed recurve team play event.Samoa PM wins archery silver http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/southpacificgames/news/s2021663.htm ABC Radio Australia 2007-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20070911201547/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/southpacificgames/news/s2021663.htm 11 September 2007 dead Logistical problems Problems with equipment and the lack of multi-sport event infrastructures within the region created difficulties throughout the Games. The decathlon was reduced to eight disciplines due to a shortage of equipment. The poles for the pole vault were still in Melbourne after the ship due to deliver them was delayed by poor weather and the high jump was the discipline cancelled to allow the event to comply with IAAF regulations (there is no IAAF-sanctioned nine discipline event). In addition, the 1500 metre race was reduced to 1 km.http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=34895 Gear problems in Apia see Games decathlon become an octathlon 4 September 2007 Radio New Zealand International 18 September 2011 The women's 400-metre hurdles and men's discus were also affected.Athletes feel robbed after decathlon becomes octathlon from Niu FM, Pacific Radio News 4 September 2007 The lack of funding and facilities for drug testing also restricted the ability of Games authorities to run a full drug testing and anti-doping programme at the Games. Only one hundred athletes (primarily in high-risk events such as bodybuilding and weightlifting) were due to be tested as samples needed to be flown overseas from Samoa to be processed at a cost of A$500 per sample.New Mindset needed to keep Games clean from Niu FM, Pacific Radio News 6 September 2007 Fireworks due to feature in the Closing Ceremony also remained in Melbourne after difficulties transporting them by ship to Samoa. Religious controversies The religious sensitivities of the host nation (which is primarily Congregationalist Christian) and other participants resulted in several controversial decisions during the organisation and running of the Games. Athletes in the women's beach volleyball event were required to wear shorts and T-shirts as opposed to the regulation bikini-style outfits to avoid offending family members and other spectators.No bikinis for beach volleyball players http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22339200-5005961,00.html Herald Sun 2007-08-31 2007-09-06 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070921113633/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0%2C21985%2C22339200-5005961%2C00.html 21 September 2007 A leaked internal memo by Team Samoa authorities was circulated prior to the event warning Samoan athletes not to engage in homosexual intercourse declaring it as "ungodly", stating: "do not embarrass yourself, your family and your country by trying this in the village...Best not to even think about this. It's against the law of God!" Such activity is prohibited under Samoan law and punishable by up to five years' imprisonment. However, the ban on homosexual intercourse was later lifted by organising committee chairman Tapasu Lueng Wai.South Pacific Games repeal gay ban http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1982159.htm ABC Radio Australia 2007-07-19 2007-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20070821145535/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1982159.htm 21 August 2007 deadhttp://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=68618 Youth leaders promote 'Safe Games' Fiji Times 2007-08-16 2007-09-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20120223082630/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=68618 2012-02-23 dead A campaign to issue athletes condoms and advice on sexually transmitted infections also met with resistance from religious leaders. The Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Samoa, Alapati Mataeliga suggested that, in doing so, the authorities were encouraging extra-marital sexual activity which was frowned upon by the church.Samoa Catholic leader opposes condoms for athletes http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=34875 Radio New Zealand International 2007-09-03 2007-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004526/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=34875 27 September 2007 live Games authorities also back-tracked on plans to issue athletes with female condoms after fears it might "expose young athletes to sex." Male condoms were nevertheless distributed. Closing ceremony The closing ceremony for the Games again took place at Apia Park. Attended by some 20,000 spectators, a twelve-minute fireworks display brought proceedings to an end before hundreds of balloons were released in the colours of the Games flag which was itself duly lowered and the ceremonial flame extinguished.https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/172530/unprecedented-fireworks-display-closes-13th-south-pacific-games Unprecedented fireworks display closes 13th South Pacific Games RNZ 10 September 2007 16 August 2021 The flag was then passed to New Caledonia delegates, supported by a Kanak cultural group, ahead of the 2011 Pacific Games in Noumea.Elma Maua Unprecedented fireworks display closes 13th South Pacific Games http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=34979 Radio New Zealand International 2007-09-09 2007-09-10 Venues thumb|upright=1.35|Gold medalist Manuel Minginfel of the Federated States of Micronesia on the medal dais with fellow weightlifting competitors from the 56 kg weight class. A significant amount of the pre-Games expenditure was spent on building new facilities and upgrading those already in existence in Samoa. The majority of the new facilities were sited at the Faleata Sports Complex at Tuana'imato. However, many Samoans feared the size of the complex and other construction would lead to the venues becoming significant white elephants after the Games were over.Samoa stays focused on finishing line - Host wants to farewell SPG in style https://web.archive.org/web/20120207002229/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=5639/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl 2012-02-07 by Peter Rees, IslandsBusiness.com Aganoa Beach - Surfing Apia Park Sports Complex Gymnasium - Table Tennis and Badminton Stadium - Athletics, Rugby Union and Touch Football Netball Courts - Netball Tennis Courts - Tennis Fagalii - Royal Samoa Golf Course - Golf Faleata Sports Complex Samoa Aquatic Centre - Swimming Archery Field - Archery Baseball Field - Baseball Beach Volleyball Courts - Beach Volleyball Toleafoa S. Blatter Stadium - Soccer Cricket ovals - Cricket Gymnasium 1 - Boxing, Weightlifting, Body Building Gymnasium 2 - Squash and Basketball Hockey Fields - Hockey Sports Centre - Judo, Taekwondo, Power Lifting, Wrestling Lawn Bowls Centre - Lawn Bowls Squash Courts - Squash Samoa Turf Club - Softball Marist Stadium - Rugby League Mulifanua Water Sports - Va'a (Outrigger) Canoeing; Sailing Triathlon course - Triathlon Tafaigata Shooting Range - Shooting National University of Samoa - Gymnasium - Indoor Volleyball Medal table New Caledonia topped the medal count.SPG Results 2007 1 SAM flagcountry 90 69 68 New Caledonia Sports Flag.svg New Caledonia 44 43 31 PYF Tahiti 43 33 50 yes 39 54 43 38 24 32 15 9 12 9 4 3 6 6 1 FSM 5 9 8 3 14 10 3 8 11 3 1 1 3 0 1 WLF local 2 1 9 1 12 14 1 2 7 0 4 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 See also Athletics at the 2007 Pacific Games Cricket at the 2007 South Pacific Games Football at the 2007 South Pacific Games Taekwondo at the 2007 South Pacific Games References 25em Sources 2007 South Pacific Games Results Oceania Sport Information Centre 31 October 2015 http://www.sportingpulse.com/get_file.cgi?id=3809076 live https://web.archive.org/web/20151031125412/http://www.sportingpulse.com/get_file.cgi?id=3809076 31 October 2015 SPG Results 2007 External links Official website XIII South Pacific Games http://www.samoa2007.ws/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071220004824/http://www.samoa2007.ws/ 2007-12-20 South Pacific Games micro site Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio Australia http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/southpacificgames/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071117134315/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/southpacificgames/ 2007-11-17 List of South Pacific Games and Mini Games on www.rsssf.com by Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Oceania Athletics 2007 2007 P Pacific Games Category:2007 in multi-sport events Category:Multi-sport events in Samoa Category:21st century in Apia Category:Sports competitions in Apia Category:August 2007 sports events in Oceania Category:September 2007 sports events in Oceania