Every team member secured a medal with Australia winning 50 gold, 24 silver and 10 bronze, with the Team taking indelible memories from a special Pacific Games experience. 

Australia, which competed in eight of the 24 sports contested at the Games, finished third on the medal table behind New Caledonia and Tahiti.

Importantly, the Australian team leaves Honiara with 13 Paris 2024 Olympic quotas across boxing and archery.

Archers Laura Paeglis and Ryan Tyack secured a Paris 2024 quota for Australia in the mixed team event, while boxers Caitlin Parker, Monique Suraci, Tiana Echegaray, Tina Rahimi, Tyla McDonald, Marissa Williamson Pohlman, Yusuf Chothia, Charlie Senior, Harry Garside, Shannan Davey, Callum Peters and Teremoana Teremoana all qualified for Paris by winning their event in Honiara.

At the Closing Ceremony, 17-year-old sailor Lachlan Vize was named as outstanding junior athlete of the Games, holding his own against athletes more than twice his age who also had Olympic experience.

Lachlan and his sailing teammates also demonstrated great sportsmanship by helping rig and assemble the fleet of competition boats, particularly assisting nations with less experience in setting up new competition boats.

The Games brought more than 5000 athletes and officials from 24 Pacific nations together in competition, with packed crowds cheering on athletes across the fourteen days of competition.

The Australian Team embraced the Pacific Games experience, supporting teammates, competitors and the organisers to help make the most of the event. The weightlifting team were loading weights for all athletes on the lifting platform to help the competition run smoothly; and the sailors helped rig and assemble the racing fleet.

Chef de Mission for the Australian Pacific Games Team Kenny Wallace celebrated the team’s achievements.

“This team has represented Australia, their sport and their families with immense pride,” Mr Wallace said. 

“They achieved fantastic results on the field of play, with 13 Paris Olympic quotas and every team member earning a medal. But I am even more proud of the way this team carried themselves supporting teammates, competitors and the host country, competing in the spirit of sport and embracing the Pacific Games as the ‘Friendly Games’. 

“Seeing the weightlifters all jump in the act as weight loaders, and the sailing team help set up the fleet for their competitors showed the generous Australian sporting spirit.

“This has been an incredible learning experience for all of our athletes – this was the first multisport event for many of the athletes and they embraced the opportunity. Every athlete brought their own professionalism and positive attitude to create a strong team culture, with athletes supporting, encouraging and learning from each other throughout the two weeks of the Games.

“Athletes will take these experiences and learnings with them back to Australia to improve even further in their future competitions. Thank you to each of the 70 athletes for being fantastic ambassadors for Australia, your sport, your friends and family.

“A team can’t operate this smoothly or successfully without the support of our Australian Olympic Team sponsor family. Thank you for helping fund this team to bring athletes to the Pacific Games, and particular mention to ASICS for supplying outstanding team uniforms and Harvey Norman for providing fridges, washing machines and appliances to help Australian athletes perform at their best.”

The appliances, medical supplies and clothing is being donated to local schools and care centres in Honiara.

“The coaches and support staff for each of the eight Australian sports performed outstandingly, preparing and assisting their athletes in hot and at times challenging conditions. There were four Olympians in the various sport’s coaching and support staff, providing a wealth of knowledge and experience.

“The Pacific Games Council and Sol2023 Organising Committee did an outstanding job staging the largest event Solomon Islands has ever held and we thank you for your tireless work to pull off an outstanding Games.

“The people of Solomon Islands could not have been more welcoming. All our athletes and staff felt embraced by our hosts, with the athletes revelling in the vocal crowds cheering them on. The memories of the cheering crowds and friendly faces wherever the Australian team travelled will be a lifelong memory for our athletes.

“The Australian High Commissioner Rod Hilton and his entire staff were an enormous support for the Australian Team, from supplying everything needed for an Aussie backyard BBQ in the Village, to cheering athletes at events is greatly appreciated.

“Thank you to the Headquarters staff, including representatives from the eight Australian sports competing here in Honiara, who put in tireless work behind the scenes to help the athletes perform at their best.”

Australian Team for the 2023 Pacific Games

•    70 athletes across eight sports – archery, athletics, beach volleyball, boxing, judo, sailing,  taekwondo and weightlifting
•    Finished with 84 medals – 50 gold, 24 silver, 10 bronze to finish third on the medal table behind New Caledonia and Tahiti
•    Secured 13 Paris 2024 Olympic quotas – 12 in boxing and mixed team quota in archery
•    Sailor Lachlan Vize was awarded junior male athlete of the Games
•    Archer Ryan Tyack was Opening Ceremony Flagbearer, boxer Caitlin Parker was Closing Ceremony Flagbearer
•    The team was led by Chef de Mission Kenny Wallace (Sprint Canoe – Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016) and Deputy Chef de Mission Amy Hetzel Jones (Water Polo – Beijing 2008)
•    The Australian Team included eight competing Olympians, with a further Olympians in coaching/team support roles, as well as Chef de Mission Kenny Wallace and Deputy Chef de Mission Amy Hetzel Jones
•    The average age of the team is 22, with the youngest 16 and oldest 34
•    The team includes several athletes with Pacific heritage, including: Teremoana Teremoana (Boxing – Cook Islands); Tiana Echegaray (Boxing – Cook Islands), Korfoi Biu (Judo – Nauru); Eileen Cikamatana (Weightlifting – Fiji)

Thank you Solomon Islands!