The XI Pacific Mini Games is officially underway Friday night with its Opening Ceremonies taking place at the Oleai Sports Complex in Saipan.

Pro triathlete Manami Iijima-Martin had the honor to be the flag bearer for Guam. The 2017 GSPN Athlete of the Year represented Guam in the 2005 Mini Games and 2006 Micronesian Games in Saipan for swimming before requirements changed and she no longer could represent Guam because she wasn’t a U.S. citizen. She received her citizenship in 2021 and is back again representing her island.

Twenty countries are there to compete in nine sports over the next week.

Guam hopes to improve on their medal performance in the last Mini Games in Vanuatu where it won only one silver and one bronze in 2017.

TENNIS

Tennis continued play earlier in the day with team competition. Guam got in the win column, sweeping Nauru 3-0 in the men’s side while the women beat Kiribati two matches to one (2-1).