Largest ever Australian Team arrive in Solomon Islands

The largest ever team of Australian athletes have begun to arrive in Solomon Islands to compete in the 2023 Pacific Games. 40 athletes have landed for the Pacific Games, with more to follow over the next two weeks.

Australia has been invited by the Pacific Games Council to compete in eight Pacific Games events: archery, athletics, beach volleyball, boxing, judo, sailing, taekwondo and weightlifting. There are eight Olympians on the team, including two Olympic medallists: Ryan Tyack (bronze, archery, Rio 2016) and Harry Garside (bronze, boxing, Tokyo 2020).

Australia has been invited by the Pacific Games Council to compete in eight Pacific Games events: archery, athletics, beach volleyball, boxing, judo, sailing, taekwondo and weightlifting.

There are eight Olympians on the team, including two Olympic medallists: Ryan Tyack (bronze, archery, Rio 2016) and Harry Garside (bronze, boxing, Tokyo 2020).

Several Australian athletes with Pacific heritage will compete for Australia at the Games, including boxers Teremoana Teremoana and Tiana Echegaray of Cook Islands heritage, weightlifter Eileen Cikamatana of Fijian heritage and judo competitor Korfoi Biu Nauru of Nauruan heritage.

Athletes in the Boxing and Archery (mixed teams) will compete to directly qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with weightlifting, athletics and taekwondo providing opportunities to win strong qualifying points.

In addition, a 14-strong team of para-athletes from Table Tennis Australia have arrived in Honiara to compete in the 2023 International Table Tennis Federation Oceania Para Table Tennis Championships, which includes qualifier matches for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands His Excellency Rod Hilton welcomed the athletes to Honiara: “across the Pacific we share deep connections between our people and a love of sport, so it’s natural to have many Australians competing in the Games. I’m pleased to see many Australian athletes with Pacific heritage and other connections to the Pacific as part of the team.

Australia is supporting Solomon Islands host a successful and safe Pacific Games and supporting Pacific athletes from across the region to accomplish their goals. Many Australians will be following the Games to watch, listen and follow the best of Pacific sports. I wish ‘good luck’ to all our athletes competing in the Pacific Games and the Oceania Para Table Tennis Championships, we’re cheering for you!”