Micronesian Games

The Micronesian Games (or "Micro Games") are a quadrennial international multi-sport event within the Micronesian region. The Games were first held in 1969 in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands). Saipan was also the host of the Games' most recent edition, in 2006. 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 .^[1]

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.

Editions

	Year	City	Country	Date	Venue	No. of Events	No. of Athletes
1	1969	Saipan	Northern Mariana Islands	July
2	1990	Saipan	Northern Mariana Islands	July
3	1994	Agana	Guam	27 March - 1 April
4	1998	Koror	Palau	3-8 August
5	2002	Pohnpei	Federated States of Micronesia	July
6	2006	Saipan	Northern Mariana Islands	23 June - 4 July
7	2010	Koror	Palau	1-10 August

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, coconut tree climbing, coconut husking, fast pitch softball, golf, slow pitch softball, spearfishing, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, va'a canoe, volleyball and wrestling, as well as the "micro all around".

The Micronesian Games thus combine events that may be found in other international competitions with events more specific to Micronesian countries. Coconut tree climbing and coconut husking appear to have been demonstration events at the 2006 Games: they are listed as events on the Games' official website, but are not listed on the results and medals' page.

See also

• Pacific Games

References

1. ^ "Palau to Host Micro Games in 2008", Marianas Variety, May 19, 2008

External links

• Micronesian Games (website under construction)