PARA athletics will be part of the Pacific Mini Games that Saipan will host next year.
Pacific Mini Games 2022 Chief Executive Officer Ben Babauta said the events will include men’s and women’s shot put (ambulant and seated), men and women’s javelin and 100 meters race (ambulant).
There is also possibility of a 400 or 800 meter wheelchair race for men and women, he added.
All events will have men’s and women’s categories, Babauta said.
The organizing committee is currently reaching out to anyone interested in participating in Para athletics. “I think it’s very exciting for the CNMI to feature local Para athletes,” he added.
Yvonne Mullins, executive director, Oceania Athletics Association and technical delegate for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games, said: “Oceania Athletics Association is excited to be once again heading to Saipan…. The Pacific Mini Games due to take place in June 2022 will offer a far broader range of events than have been seen there in previous editions of the Oceania championships or Micronesian Games.”
She said the 2022 Pacific Mini Games will offer an expanded range of Para events open to all competing Pacific associations.
“We are so excited to be able to offer Para events at the CNMI Mini Games,” she added. “We have never been in a position to offer Para events at our previous championships or games held in Saipan and we looking forward to highlighting these events. We are hoping that we can include the wheelchair track event which will give more Para athletes the opportunity to compete.”
Para events have grown in popularity at the last two Pacific Games hosted by Papua New Guinea and Samoa, and it is expected that as time goes by they will become even more popular, the Oceania Athletics Association said.
For his part, Northern Marianas Athletics secretary general Robin Sapong said they are now working closely with the Pacific Mini Games 2022 CEO and the local organizing committee in preparing facilities, among other things, for the Para athletes.
“As the host we need to ensure that we consider the safety and welfare of the Para athletes as they have different classifications,” Sapong said.
“We are very excited to be the first sport federation to host Para events in our region. Of course we will also need the support of our community, partners and other stakeholders to provide these events which aim to promote diversity and inclusion,” he added.
Northern Marianas Athletics secretary general Robin Sapong at the 2022 Tokyo Olympic Games.
