1999 Eleventh South Pacific Games, Guam
Guam overcome a supertyphoon to prove that hosting the SPG took heart and drive over many of the other logistical considerations. With support from locals even the compromise of a reduced budget of US$4m failed to prevent the tiny nation from hosting an event that can be remembered proudly as a triumph against the odds.
New Caledonia carried on from where they left off with another record haul of 72 gold medals. The bulk of their medals again came from the field events in athletics, swimming andvarious team sports. Fiji improved on their performances since 1987 to gain second spot with 33 medals ahead of the pocket dynamo team of mainly weightlifters from Nauru in third place. The men's 100m was a Fiji clean sweep with Moave Vu taking gold from Jone Delai and bronze to Aminiasi Babitu. Fiji's Caroline Pickering was the highest individual medal winner with her 6 gold medals in swimming. The rugby gold medal in the shortened seven-a-side code was won by Fiji.
The opening and closing ceremonies at the JF Kennedy stadium provided an opportunity for Guam to sit back and reflect on their achievements in ensuring that hospitality and good spirits overcame all other adverse factors.
Medal Tally Guam 1999
Country
|
Gold
|
Silver
|
Bronze
|
Total
|
New Caledonia
|
72
|
54
|
44
|
170
|
Fiji
|
33
|
32
|
37
|
102
|
Nauru
|
27
|
8
|
7
|
42
|
Tahiti
|
25
|
18
|
34
|
77
|
PNG
|
19
|
31
|
34
|
84
|
Samoa
|
19
|
9
|
4
|
32
|
Guam
|
14
|
32
|
26
|
72
|
American Samoa
|
7
|
3
|
5
|
15
|
FSM
|
4
|
2
|
6
|
12
|
Solomon Islands
|
3
|
6
|
12
|
21
|
Wallis & Futuna
|
3
|
6
|
11
|
20
|
Vanuatu
|
2
|
8
|
12
|
22
|
Northern Marias.
|
2
|
6
|
8
|
16
|
Tonga
|
2
|
3
|
10
|
15
|
Norfolk Island
|
1
|
|
1
|
2
|
Palau
|
|
7
|
3
|
10
|
Kiribati
|
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
Marshalls
|
|
2
|
5
|
7
|
Cook Islands
|
|
1
|
|
1
|
Total
|
233
|
231
|
262
|
726
|
Last Modified on 08/03/2007 17:36