It is a big week on Pohnpei Island. The Oceania Athletics Association is holding its Micronesian Track and Field Championships here with the six nations of Guam, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Nauru, and the Federal States of Micronesia competing. Not sure how many hundreds of thousands of square miles of the earth’s surface is included within the boundaries of these nations, but the total land area is less than that of Rhode Island (it’s true—I was bored on a rainy afternoon and googled it). And the total population is more like that of an upstate New York county. So, if nothing else, you have to be impressed by the logistics of getting a couple hundred athletes, coaches, team managers, etc. all together in one place and time in this vast area of the ocean.
The meet took place a couple hundred yards from the Pacific Island Central School where I am now spending my days. Competition took place from Thursday through Saturday. The principal reduced classes to a half-day schedule on Thursday and Friday, which was pretty much inevitable. Given the very loose attendance patterns for both students and teachers under normal circumstances, there was little chance that classes would hold under the pressure. Besides, the PA system at the games pretty much knocked out classes on that side of the PICS campus.
I spent several hours at the games, taking it all in. Like all track meets, there is a bunch of things happening all at once. The races were fun to watch. FSM Pohnpei had by far the most athletes, so the cheering sections were enthusiastic (although, I think Guam took away most of the medals). I had a front row seat to watch the javelin throw. Well into the competition, the javelin they were using broke in two. Apparently that was the only javelin on the island, because the competition ended. However, all seemed satisfied that the winners of the event had been well established, and they proceeded to the awards ceremony. I am not enough of a track and field aficionado to assess the level of competition, although I suspect Shenenedehowa High School’s varsity team would have been competitive. There was some mini-Olympics pageantry involved. The medal winners were all escorted to the traditional three-level platform by pretty island girls with palm woven hats and baskets containing the medals. All the island nation flags were lined up in front of a reviewing stand, with an impressive backdrop of mountains in the distance.
As much fun as the competition was all the action along the road bordering the track. Front yards sprouted food and drink booths where you could buy mangoes, betel nut, rice and meat dinners, ramen noodle packets, soft drinks and other snacks. Police were present, but no one seemed particularly concerned with parking, traffic, or other public order kinds of issues. There was no admission fee. People were all pretty mellow, standing on the tops of vans and in the back of pick-ups so they could see. There was a seating area trackside under a roof. I went there to take some pictures. I wondered what dignitaries were allowed to sit here, but no one was there to stop me or question me about a pass (I’ve found that just being an old white guy buys you some consideration here). Some pictures....
The meet took place a couple hundred yards from the Pacific Island Central School where I am now spending my days. Competition took place from Thursday through Saturday. The principal reduced classes to a half-day schedule on Thursday and Friday, which was pretty much inevitable. Given the very loose attendance patterns for both students and teachers under normal circumstances, there was little chance that classes would hold under the pressure. Besides, the PA system at the games pretty much knocked out classes on that side of the PICS campus.
I spent several hours at the games, taking it all in. Like all track meets, there is a bunch of things happening all at once. The races were fun to watch. FSM Pohnpei had by far the most athletes, so the cheering sections were enthusiastic (although, I think Guam took away most of the medals). I had a front row seat to watch the javelin throw. Well into the competition, the javelin they were using broke in two. Apparently that was the only javelin on the island, because the competition ended. However, all seemed satisfied that the winners of the event had been well established, and they proceeded to the awards ceremony. I am not enough of a track and field aficionado to assess the level of competition, although I suspect Shenenedehowa High School’s varsity team would have been competitive. There was some mini-Olympics pageantry involved. The medal winners were all escorted to the traditional three-level platform by pretty island girls with palm woven hats and baskets containing the medals. All the island nation flags were lined up in front of a reviewing stand, with an impressive backdrop of mountains in the distance.
As much fun as the competition was all the action along the road bordering the track. Front yards sprouted food and drink booths where you could buy mangoes, betel nut, rice and meat dinners, ramen noodle packets, soft drinks and other snacks. Police were present, but no one seemed particularly concerned with parking, traffic, or other public order kinds of issues. There was no admission fee. People were all pretty mellow, standing on the tops of vans and in the back of pick-ups so they could see. There was a seating area trackside under a roof. I went there to take some pictures. I wondered what dignitaries were allowed to sit here, but no one was there to stop me or question me about a pass (I’ve found that just being an old white guy buys you some consideration here). Some pictures....
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| This young man won style points, if not races |
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| These are the young ladies who accompanied the winners and carried their medals in the baskets |
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| Betel nut for sale |
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