2025 Pacific Mini Games conclude

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Tahiti finished at the top of the medal standings as the 2025 Pacific Mini Games wrapped up in Palau on Wednesday.

After nine days of competition, the event concluded with a colorful closing ceremony.

The Pacific Mini Games flag was handed to the Cook Islands, the host of the 2029 Pacific Mini Games.

The Tahitians — set to host the 2027 Pacific Games — signaled their intentions early when the competition kicked off on 30 June, and they finished with 72 gold, 41 silver and 29 bronze medals.

Fiji won three gold medals on the final day of competition to conclude their campaign with 27 gold, 30 silver and 24 bronze medals.

Samoa finished third with 27 gold, 14 silver and 20 bronze medals; Australia was fourth with 24 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze; and Papua New Guinea rounded out the top five with 22 gold, 29 silver and 26 bronze medals.

American Samoa finished eighth with 6 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze.

Team Fiji's sprinter Heleina Young was crowned the overall Outstanding Female Athlete. Young won three gold (400m, 200m, 4x400m) and two silver medals (4x100m, Mixed 4x400m) on the track.

While Team Samoa's weightlifter John Tafi, 23, was awarded the overall Outstanding Male Athlete at the Mini Games winning three gold medals in the men's 71kg division.

2025 Pacific Mini Games medal tally at the end competitions on July 9, 2025.  [Photo: RNZ Pacific]