Man For Man, Tongans Do

Best At The Games

instead of the expected $lOO,OOO, was raised in ticket, programme and associated activities. Hopes are the NG Administration or the Australian Government will help to cover the amount.

Competition and the new records show that sports standards are rising.

But several of the smaller territories see one danger—the Games could become a flag-waving ceremony for the bigger, richer territories.

They feel they could be squeezed out through lack of funds and train ing facilities. A related view, ex pressed by many Islanders, is that too many Europeans are winning medals. The Games should be for indigenous Islanders, they felt.

Neither of these feelings is wide spread or strong yet—but they shouldn’t be ignored.

New Caledonia became the first territory to win the most medals at a Games away from home. Its real strength was in its girl swimmers, the non-running athletic events and all round versatility.

There was a threatened upset be fore the start of the swim events when it was found that the olympic sized pool was a few millimetres short of international standards. The problem was solved by trimming the special timing plates erected at one end, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

Smallest team

Smallest team, Tonga, was the best performer on a per-person-entered basis. The 13 athletes returned home with six gold medals. Nauru, with the smallest population did well, produc ing upsets in tennis and softball events.

Wallis and Futuna kept its sur prises for the volleyball events; American Samoa disappointed in boxing and softball, it could have done better; Western Samoa went well in boxing and weightlifting and the New Hebrides disappointed in soccer but its male sprinters were good.

French Polynesia repeated its good Noumea performances in team sports and it did well in men’s sprints and the jumps. The Solomons team, with scant financial support from the UK, tried hard in rugby and soccer with little success.

Fiji could have done better. It couldn’t win a gold medal in team sports except in rugby where its classy players were never tested and in boxing. Guam’s huge team was generally outclassed. It won more friends than medals and will be best remembered for its softball and judo wins.

Hosts, NG, showed great progress in men’s and women’s athletics and really encouraging was the force it was in team sports. It well-deserved a number two spot on the team ladder.

Now, with the facilities there in Moresby and the keenness aroused locally, the time is right to persevere with the gains in NG. They shouldn’t be lost and territory sporting bodies can take it from here on to put NG well in the running for *7l.

• They are American Samoans watching their team mates, unaware of the camera in their concentration or en thusiasm. A typical scene at the Port Moresby Games.