Samoa

Rotary and UNICEF team up to vaccinate the Pacific

The "Give Every Child a Future" project is the major international focus of civil society group Rotary as it celebrates 100 years of service in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific.

Rotary will partner with the United Nations children's agency UNICEF to support the introduction of three vaccines in the region.

Vathinee Jitjaturunt of UNICEF Pacific said the vaccines targeted three diseases.

"This project I think it will be able to prevent diarrhoea, pneumonia and cervical cancer. These three diseases are high in the Pacific."

Pacific Games torch relay begins on Savai'i

To have the students carry the baton brought the communities together in unison, manifesting the slogan of the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games, “one in spirit.” 

The Savai'i leg of the relay will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday before coming to Upolu.

People of all ages flooded the streets as the torch baton for the Games made its way through and the event was live-streamed on Facebook.

China hands over complex to Samoa ahead of Pacific Games

Speaking at the ceremony yesterday Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Malielegaoi thanked China saying the building of the Multi-Sport Centre aligns with the government's vision to grow Faleata as the sports hub of Samoa and the Pacific region.

The Multi-Sport Centre consists of two state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor netball courts built to international specifications. It also has the capacity to host badminton, basketball, table tennis, boxing and other indoor sports.

Pacific nations to host future Tests in new 10-year rolling calendar

RLIF CEO Nigel Wood confirmed on the eve of Saturday’s opening round of Oceania Cup matches between New Zealand and Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium and Samoa and Papua New Guinea at Leichhardt Oval that the international body wanted to play games in the Pacific islands.

An RLIF meeting in Singapore earlier this month agreed that the Oceania Cup would be staged mid-year and at the end of the season on an annual basis, except in 2021 and 2025 when the World Cup is held.

Draw made for football competition at Samoa 2019 Pacific Games

Conducted by Football Federation Samoa, the draw used seedings based on FIFA rankings.

In the men's event, six teams had been set to be placed in Group A and five in Group B but due to an mistake on the day, five teams were drawn for Group A and six for Group B.

To rectify this, a straight swap was carried out in the match schedules between the groups.

Group A features hosts Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand under-23s, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

New Caledonia are the top seeds in Group B, alongside American Samoa, Tuvalu, Tahiti, Fiji and Solomon Islands.

Pacific Games medal ceremony to embrace Samoan culture

 Medal Ceremony Coordinator Kristian Scanlan says they will display the best of the island nation to other countries.

“Eyeing gold for the XVI Pacific Games is any athlete’s dream come true and the reason we’re bringing the best to the podium.”

More than 320 medal ceremonies will take place during the two weeks of sporting action.

Medal ceremonies are the most broadcast event during any Games and play an important role for all the sports.

Shooters reminded to handle guns with care

There will be eight countries competing in five medal events for shooting. The competition will take place in the second week of the Games, from 15-19 July.

"The main priority of shooting is safety," said Technical Delegate from Australia, Judith Kent.

The shooting venue is Tafaigata Shooting Range, built in 2007 when Samoa last hosted the Pacific Games. 

It is located 15 minutes from Apia CBD and can hold 200-300 specatators.

"I had a look at the pistol range to see that everything has been in place, which was great.

Smokefree Pacific Games re-enforces healthy message

Athletes, officials, spectators, volunteers, and the workforce involved in the Games are reminded that the event is smokefree.

May 31, which is just 37 days until the Opening Ceremony kicks off a fortnight of sporting competition, is the annual No Tobacco Day organised by the World Health Organization.

The annual campaign raises awareness of the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and aims to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

Basketball issues 2019 Pacific Games schedule

Technical Delegate Amanda Jenkins says the venue and team preparations are on track.

"It's exciting this is the time first we have qualifying pathways for this event. Any team who underestimates their opponent will be the ones who will not progress."

Jenkins is certain basketball teams from the Oceania region will be putting on their best performances to win a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers.

Hotels to house Pacific Games boxers

CEO of the Games Organising Committee Falefata Hele Matatia told Newsline Samoa that Jet Over Hotel, Lucia Chalets, Savai'ian Hotel and Rosalote Hotel have been chosen for their close proximity to the boxing venue at Salelologa.

Boxing is one of 26 sports being contested in Samoa and will be held at the Catholic Church run Don Bosco School.

"When the request was put to us by government our school embraced it, it is our contribution to the government efforts in hosting the Games," said Principal of the college Father Nuku Tevita in a telephone interview with the newspaper.