By Anadolu staff
ANKARA (AA) - The 2023 Pacific Games officially kicked off on Sunday with a spectacular opening ceremony at Solomon Islands’ newly built National Stadium in the capital Honiara, featuring a parade of athletes and cultural performances.
Waving small flags of each of the nations as they entered the stadium, a large number of spectators joined the colorful ceremony, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The 2023 Pacific Games are one of the biggest sports events in the region, bringing together around 5,000 athletes, officials and support staff from 24 Pacific teams from Nov. 19 to Dec. 2.
With close to 600 athletes, Fiji has the biggest team at the games, followed by Papua New Guinea, which has just under 500 athletes.
Tonga also have a big team, with a handful of male athletes following the lead of Rio 2016 flagbearer Pita Taufatofua by arriving with bare oiled chests and wearing traditional ta’ovalas wrapped around their waists.
The home nation's athletes, who came out last, received a cheerful welcome.
Home weightlifting legend Jenly Tegu Wini, the nation's only Commonwealth Games gold medalist, carried the flag for the Solomon Islands.
Following the athletes parade, the official mascot of the Games -- a leatherback turtle named Solo -- made its entrance accompanied by the national sporting song "Go Solo Go," having travelled across the whole of the Solomon Islands in a baton relay.
"It is now our honor to hand the games over to the athletes of the Pacific. Challenge yourselves. Celebrate our Pacific diversity. And unite our region. May God bless and protect you as you participate in the 2023 Pacific Games," Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said in an emotional speech.
Former sprinter Jim Marau placed the paddle-shaped baton into a ceremonial waterfall, which will flow for the duration of the event, as Sogavare declared the Games open.