Be A Big Day For Fiji
pp. 8-9 · Read in the full issue
Opening Of Suva Games Will Be A Big Day For Fiji
The opening of the South Pacific Games at Buckhu, tte mn,Tm °" T *! ursda y. August 29, promises to be one the most memorable occasions in the history of Fiji.
■piJl’S Governor, Sir Kenneth Mad fv d °cks, will open the games with tull ceremonial. After inspecting a Fiji Military Forces guard of honour, he will meet visiting dignitaries in the grandstand.
He will then take the salute at a march past of all competing athletes in their widely different, colourful uniforms.
When the Royal New Zealand Air Force has finished a fly-past, the Governor will watch a soccer match before he leaves the arena.
The Fiji athletics selectors have set rather tough qualifying standards as a basis for choosing their team.
These standards are: Men—loo metres (10.9 sec.), 200 metres (22 sec.), 400 metres (48.8 sec.), 800 metres (2 min. 3.5 sec.), 1,500 metres (4 min. 28 sec.), 5,000 metres (15 min. 45 sec.), 10,000 metres (34 min.), shot put (50 ft) discus (165 ft), javelin (230 ft), high jump (6 ft 2 in.), broad jump (22 ft 9 in.), hop, step and jump (48 ft).
Women—loo metres (12 sec.), 200 metres (25.2 sec.), 800 metres (2
mm. 15 sec.), shot put (39 ft 6 discus (115 ft), javelin (120 high jump (5 ft 1 in.), broad j (18 ft).
Soccer will be played at Suvj August 29, August 30, Septembe 6 and 7 (final) and at Lautokz September 1. Six territories will part: New Caledonia, French F nesia, the Solomons, New Hebr Papua-New Guinea and Fiji, winner will be decided on a kn out basis.
Josua Rabukawaqa, the Dis Officer at Labasa, has been appoii manager of the Fiji Games team Mr. Joe Coyne, director of org sation of the games, has been pointed secretary of the South Pa Games council. He replaces Mr, O. Simpson, now living in Sc Otago, New Zealand, who has signed.
The organising committee has cided that indoor basketball rugby football will be decided o league basis—each team will p every other team, and the one v the most points on a two for a \ one for a draw basis, will be winner.
In rugby however, each team ’ play the other two twice, to mak total of six games.
Only three territories, Fiji, West Samoa and Tonga, have ente: rugby teams.
The president of the Fiji Amat Athletics Association, Mr. W. Ra has scotched a suggestion that athle who have taken part in professioi meetings but who have not won cash prize are eligible for select for the games.
Mr. Ragg quoted from the rules;
ternational Amateur Athletic ion which make it clear that ;hletes cannot be regarded as rs. all Suva accommodation in and boarding houses was out at least four months be e games were due to start, a committee was set up to find ccommodation. committee appealed to private ;, asking them to offer bed reakfast for visitors at a fee - daily. international soccer control FIFA, has given a special dis on for the Solomons and New es to take part in the games t affiliation with FIFA.
N. M. Daly, secretary of the Association of New Caledonia, isited Fiji towards the end of says his territory hoped to take several gold medals, gives New Caledonia a chance :cer, lawn tennis, table tennis everal swimming and athletics Daly says one New Caledonian ner recently did the 100 metres raction over 1 min. 6 sec. This mt equal to Fiji’s best time for listance. tie 60 athletes from New Cale will take part in the games, i Gilbert and Ellice Islands iy plans to send a team of nine es. The team will comprise five rs, two tennis and two table ; contestants. Mr. Peter Jack a GEIC Administration official, be non-competing manager, nerican Samoa has come to the ance of a competing rival ving a visit to Niue in May of
the games organising director (Mr.
Mr. Coyne later told athletics officials in Pago Pago that a young pole vaulter at Niue was practising with a stick cut from the bush.
Their immediate response was to give Mr. Coyne an aluminium plated pole to pass on to the young Niuean.
Mr Coyne brought the pole back to Suva, and will have it at Niue in time to give the lad a chance to adjust himself to the “real thing” at practice.
The Nauru Amateur Sports Asso ciation has announced the names of the four athletes who will represent Nauru at the games. They are Gamanoa Joram (800 yards), Paul Ribauw (220 yards), Tara Mango (3 miles) and R. Morgan Morns (6 miles and steeplechase).
At recent trials, Gamanoa ran yards in 2 min. 15 sec.; Paul Ribauw ran 100 yards in 11.1; Tara ran 5 000 metres in 16.54; and Morns ran 26 miles 380 yards in 3 hr. 6 mm.
Many of the athletes to represent Papua-New Guinea at the games were expected to be chosen before the end of June following soccer boxing, and women’s basketball champion ships at Lae and lawn tennis and table tennis championships at Port M< championships to be held soon are: Swimming at Port Moresby on July 7, and athletics at Rabaul on July 6 and 7.
MASS FOR POPE. Queen Salote of Tonga, attended a Requiem Mass for the late Pope John in Nukualofa on June 12. Here she is seen leaving the Catholic Church of the Emaculate Conception with Bishop Rodgers, Vicar Apostolic of Tonga and Niue, after the Mass. Photo: Hettig.