Micronesian Games


The Micronesian Games are a quadrennial international multi-sport event within the Micronesian region. The Games were first held in 1969 in Saipan. The 2010 Micronesian Games were initially due to be held in Majuro, until the hosts withdrew. The 2010 Games were hosted by Palau. 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.

History

After the inaugural 1969 edition, the Games were supposed to be a regular event. However, the second edition did not take place until 1990. Since then, the Games have been held every four years without fail.
However, 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, the 10th MicroGames was moved to June 15–24, 2024 in Majuro.

All-time medal table

Editions

Competitors

Participants include four sovereign countries, a commonwealth in political union with the United States, an organized unincorporated territory of the United States, and the four constituent States of the Federated States of Micronesia.
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 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:
  • Coconut climbing : 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 : 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.