Micronesian Games

The Micronesian Games, often known as the Micro Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event featuring competitors from the countries and districts of the region of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean.

The four states of the Federated States of Micronesia – Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap – field separate teams at the games. The other entrants are the independent countries of Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau, and the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The inaugural games were held in 1969 featuring the six districts of the U.S.-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The second edition was not held until 1990, but the games have since been held every four years (with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic).

History

The inaugural games were held in 1969 in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, under the name MicrOlympics (or Micronesian Olympics).[1] The competition was limited to the six districts of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.[2] It was a collaboration of local residents and American Peace Corps volunteers and featured a strong American influence, with the opening ceremony held on the Fourth of July and several U.S. military units playing a role.[3]

The second edition edition of the Micronesian Games did not take place until 1990, by which time the region had undergone major political changes. Guam first participated in that year, while non-US territories were then invited later in the 1990s with Nauru (1994) and Kiribati (1998) making their debuts.[4]

The 2010 Micronesian Games were initially due to be held in Majuro (Marshall Islands), until the hosts withdrew. The 2010 Games were hosted by Palau.[5] The Federated States of Micronesia won the bidding to host the 2014 Micronesian Games in Pohnpei State, and later won again against CNMI for the 2018 Micronesian Games, held in Yap State.[6][7][8]

After the 2018 Micronesian Games in Yap State, the Republic of the Marshall Islands was set to host the 10th edition of the Micronesian Games in Majuro; but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Majuro MicroGames was pushed back to 2023. Following a May 23 virtual meeting of the Micronesian Games Council,[9] the 10th MicroGames was moved to June 15–24, 2024 in Majuro.[10]

All-time medal table

RankAssociationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Palau285317293895
2 Guam275178139592
3 Northern Mariana Islands256220179655
4 Marshall Islands175145177497
5 Pohnpei122174151447
6 Nauru1205629205
7 Yap537174198
8 Chuuk405784181
9 Kosrae192169109
10Ponape/Kusaie (defunct)17161043
11 Kiribati5252555
Totals (11 entries)1,3671,2801,2303,877
Source: As of March 19, 2023.[11]

Editions

Overview of the Micronesian Games
Edition Year Host Start End Sports Events Nations Top association Ref
I 1969 Saipan, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 4 July 12 July 6  Palau
II 1990 Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands 7 July 15 July 7  Guam
III 1994 Hagåtña, Guam 26 March 2 April 9  Guam [12]
IV 1998 Koror, Palau 1 August 9 August 9  Nauru
V 2002 Palikir, Pohnpei 21 July 30 July 9  Northern Mariana Islands
VI 2006 Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands 23 June 4 July 9  Guam
VII 2010 Koror, Palau 1 August 10 August 8  Palau
VIII 2014 Pohnpei, Pohnpei 20 July 29 July 9  Guam [13]
IX 2018 Yap, Yap 15 July 27 July 10  Palau [14]
X 2024 Majuro, Marshall Islands 15 June 24 June 10  Northern Mariana Islands [15]
XI 2028 Nauru Future event [16]

Competitors

Participants include four sovereign countries (the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and Palau), a commonwealth in political union with the United States (the Northern Mariana Islands), an organized unincorporated territory of the United States (Guam), and the four constituent States of the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Yap, which compete separately from one another).

These ten countries, States and territories are all located within the Micronesian region of Oceania.

All participants also take part in the Pacific Games, although the Federated States of Micronesia competes as a unified country there.

Events

Athletes compete in the fields of athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, fast pitch softball, association football, golf, slow pitch softball, spearfishing, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, va'a canoe, volleyball and wrestling, as well as the "Micronesian all-around", which includes events like coconut tree climbing and coconut husking.

The Micronesian Games thus combine events that may be found in other international competitions with events more specific to Micronesian countries.

Micronesian all-around

The Micronesian all-around (sometimes shortened to Micro all-round) is an unusual multi-event contest practiced at the Micronesian Games, a kind of pentathlon featuring skills from a traditional island lifestyle. The 2018 version included the following events:[17]

  • Coconut climbing (men only): Participants climb up and down three coconut trees in the fastest possible time.
  • Coconut husking: Participants remove the husks from 10 coconuts as fast as possible.
  • Coconut grating (women only): Participants fully grate five of the coconuts they had earlier husked, again in the fastest possible time.
  • Swimming: A race that starts with running from shore into the water, a swim and a short underwater swim to a target, and then a swim back to shore.
  • Diving: Participants free dive to retrieve five objects from the sea bottom in the fastest possible time.
  • Spear throwing: Participants throw spears at targets placed in the water.

See also

References

  1. ^ Fabian, Osmond & Phillips 2025, p. 1533.
  2. ^ Fabian, Osmond & Phillips 2025, p. 1537.
  3. ^ Fabian, Osmond & Phillips 2025, p. 1538.
  4. ^ Fabian, Osmond & Phillips 2025, p. 1540.
  5. ^ Carreon, Bernadette H. (May 20, 2008). "Palau to host Micro Games in 2010". Marianas Variety. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  6. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (July 28, 2014). "Micro Games heading to Yap". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  7. ^ Jaynes, Bill (July 31, 2014). "8th Micro Games now in the history books". Kaselehlie Press. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  8. ^ Aisek, Otis (July 27, 2014). "Yap Wins Bid to Host the 2018 Micronesian Games". The Fourth Branch. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  9. ^ "MICRONESIAN GAMES | Official Website". www.micronesian.games. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  10. ^ "New dates for stalled Micronesian Games announced". Radio New Zealand. 8 May 2023.
  11. ^ Micronesian Gams Council. "Past Games Results". Micronesian Games Council. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  12. ^ Branigin, William (April 4, 1994). "Foreign Journal". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  13. ^ Monroyo, Roselyn (June 24, 2013). "Micro Games first payment due next month". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved March 19, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  14. ^ "Micro Games 2018 - More Than Just Games". Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  15. ^ "Sport: Marshall Islands to host 2022 Micronesian Games". Radio New Zealand. July 31, 2018. Archived from the original on September 11, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  16. ^ Tora, Iliesa. "Construction delays in Nauru push Micronesian Games to January 2028". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  17. ^ "Micronesian All-Around Competition Manual". GameDay. 2018 Micronesian Games Organizing Committee. 2018.

Further reading

  • Fabian, Tom; Osmond, Gary; Phillips, Murray G. (2025). "The Micronesian Games as Microcosm: Sport, Culture, and Diplomacy in Oceania". The International Journal of the History of Sport. 42 (12–13). doi:10.1080/09523367.2025.2545549.
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