American Samoa is sending 189 athletes, coaches and officials to the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands next month.
The Games’ opening ceremony is set for November 19 but the first sports competitions, which are volleyball and soccer, start two days earlier November 17. The closing ceremony is set for December 2.
Secretary General of the American Samoa National Olympic Committee, Ethan Lake says the team leaves on a Solomon Airlines charter flight directly from Pago Pago International to Honiara on November 14.
144 passengers will be on that flight, and the remaining 40 plus will travel via various airlines and routes to Honiara.
The Chef de Mission for Team American Samoa is Trevor Kaituu, a Solomon Islander who has been a resident of American Samoa for many years and is an employee of the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources. The Deputy Chef de Mission is Toafa Tuimaloa Lani Tilo.
American Samoa will be competing in the following sports:
- Swimming
- Rugby-men and women
- Soccer-men & women
- Track and Field
- Boxing
- Golf
- 3-on-3 Men’s Basketball
- Body building
- Beach volleyball-men and women
- Power lifting
- Indoor Volleyball-men and women
- Weightlifting
Lake says each team is doing their own fundraising and ASNOC is hopeful for funding from ASG to supplement ASNOC assistance for Team American Samoa.
As a lead up to the Pacific Games, athletes and officials took part in an anti-doping training session last weekend, sponsored by the Oceania Regional Anti-Doping Organization.
