by Ian Marshall, Editor

A total of ten islands attended in the Games: Chuuk, Guam, Kosrae, Kiribati, Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Palau, Pohnpei and Yap. Kosrae, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Pohnpei and Yap competed in the table tennis competition.

Venue for the proceedings was the Seventh Day Adventist Gymnasium. A total of seven events were staged: Men’s Team, Women’s Team, Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles.

Ramon Gullla and Jeramai Orachel Wartanabe emerged as the most successful players as Palau captured all seven titles on offer.

Both were pivotal to the success in the Men’s Team and Women’s Team events; in the former Palau finishing ahead of Pohnpei and the Marshall Islands, in the latter Yap were the runners up.

Rachel Ramos (standing centre from row) joins the medallists (Photo: courtesy of Rachel Ramos)

Success in the Men’s Team event; in addition, Ramon Gulla partnered Samuel Saunders to success in an all Palau Men’s Doubles final, the duo beating George Nena and Shawnessy Soalablai (13-11, 11-4, 11-9) to seal the title. Similarly, the Mixed Doubles gold medal contest witnessed an all Palau affair with Jeramai Orachel Wartanabe partnering Jada Osiik to success against Aberlynn Ngirous and Meilin Chin (11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8).

Two titles apiece, a third was gained when the duo joined forces to win the Mixed Doubles event. At the final hurdle Ramon Gullla and Jeramai Orachel Wartanabe overcame Ricky Bokadrik and Annalyn Laikidrik of the Marshall Islands (11-6, 11-3, 11-4) to reserve the top step of the podium.

Success upon success; for both matters concluded with even more success.

Ramon Gulla secured the Men’s Singles title beating Samuel Saunders (11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7), having at the semi-final stage ousted Nena George also from Palau (7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6). In the counterpart penultimate round contest, Samuel Saunders had accounted for Pohnpei’s John Thomsin (11-7, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5).

The officials in Yap with (front row centre) Rachel Ramos)

Meanwhile, in the Women’s Singles event it was a full house of medals for Palau. In the semi-finals Jeramai Orachel Wartanabe beat Meilin Chan (11-9, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6), prior to securing the title at the final expense of Portiana Franz (11-6, 11-1, 11-7, 11-4). In the adjacent penultimate round contest Portiana Franz had ended the hopes of Aberlynn Ngirous (11-4, 10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 7-11, 16-14).

Fulfilling the role of both Referee and Technical Delegate, Rachel Ramos of the Philippines was very much at the helm of proceedings; it was the second time when she had been the Referee at the Micronesian Games.

Prior to the start of the table tennis events, she conducted a three day Basic Umpires Course for the Federated States of Micronesia Table Tennis Association. A total of 12 students attended the course, six being teenagers, one as young as 13 years of age.

Members of the Basic Umpires Course with (front row centre) Rachel Ramos

The Micronesian Games principally comprise: athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, fast pitch softball, golf, slow pitch softball, spearfishing, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, va’a canoe, volleyball and wrestling.

2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Men’s Team
2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Women’s Team

2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Men’s Singles (First Stage)
2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Men’s Singles (Main Draw)

2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Women’s Singles (First Stage)
2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Women’s Singles (Main Draw)

2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Men’s Doubles
2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Women’s Doubles
2018 Micronesian Games: Results – Mixed Doubles