New Caledonia lead at halfway point

New Caledonia has a healthy lead on the Pacific Games medals table as the competition reaches the halfway stage.

The French Territory has won 42 gold medals after the first six days of competition and more than 50 silver and bronze, with host nation Samoa the nearest challenger with 26 gold medals while Tahiti have 21.

Another six first place finishes on the final night of swimming action brought New Caledonia's total haul in the pool to 25 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze medals.

Swimming Team Manager Cyril Huet said it's an even bigger haul than they managed in Port Moresby four years ago.

"We are very happy and the team is very unique," he said. "We win the Games because it's an objective we want to win the Games, but behind you you have the team of Fiji it's a very good team too and finished No.2 (in swimming) and is very good. To have competition with Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Cooks, it's very good competition."

"All the team is high level. The girls win 12 gold medals, the boys win 11 gold medals. It's a group, it's a unique group. Not one swimmer is better - it's all the group, I think. We want all the time to work all together," he said.

Elsewhere in Apia, Dgeniva Matauli won the women's singles title in badminton and teamed up with Johanna Kou to take the doubles crown, while the French Territory proved unbeatable on the golf course, winning the men's and women's team events, with Dylan Benoit and Emilie Ricaud winning individual gold.

Meanwhile sailor Juliette Bone won gold in the women's laser radial - Samoa won the team event - and Avelino Monteiro won gold in the men's para table tennis.