Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee (MINOC) President Kenneth Kramer, Secretary General Terry Sasser, Executive Board and National Federations would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and extend a warm Pacific welcome to our new IOC President National Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and our sincere gratitude to President Jacques Rogge, who leaves a lasting legacy for us all. Our ongoing gratitude to ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah and Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg for continuing to listen to our concerns, address the challenges and work with us to find solutions. Our heartfelt congratulations to the Japan Olympic Committee for their successful 2020 Tokyo Games bid. We thank Olympic Solidarity Director Pere Miro, Finance Manager Nicole Girard-Savoy and their highly professional staff, who are integral to our achievements and successes. We would like to 422 express our appreciation to ONOC President Dr. 3 Robin Mitchell, Secretary General Ricardo Blas, Vice President Barry Maister, Executive Director Dennis Miller and staff for their continued support and belief in our Oceania Family.

Congratulations to incoming Athletes’ Commission representatives to the MINOC Executive Board, Waylon Muller and Haley Nemra. We look forward to and are enthusiastic about working with Oceania Athletes Commission Chair Barbara Kendall this year. We also welcome new MINOC Vice President for Women’s Development Deborah Shoniber. She attended the Women and Sport Oceania Regional Workshop/ 4th Continental Seminar on Women and Sport in Tonga. We wish to thank Women and Sport Oceania’s Helen Brownlee for her ongoing efforts.

MINOC would like to congratulate Australia Olympic Committee President John Coates and Secretary General Craig Phillips on a very successful Australian Youth Olympic Festival.

The Sport For All World Conference in Lima, Peru drew a clear correlation between non- communicable diseases (NCDs) and a healthy, active lifestyle through sport, especially in the world’s most impoverished nations. The importance of sport available for everyone cannot be overstated. Many great contacts and networks were established during this important forum.

Annual Report 2013 Annual Report 2013 The Territorial Sports Olympic Committee Softball Federation’s President, Chef de Mission Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. of Wallis and Futuna, WF2013 Organizing to the Pacific Games and Micronesian Games, Committee and Pacific Games Council, under and the delegation’s Attaché to the 2008 Beijing MIAF organizes quarterly 5K runs with good the leadership of President Vidhya Lakhan and Games and 2012 Games. Nokko leaves participation and an emphasis on healthy Executive Director Andrew Minogue, delivered a a lasting legacy of sport in the Marshall Islands lifestyles and NCD awareness. 2013 was a year successful Pacific Mini Games. and his absence will be felt deeply. filled with successful events and MIAF thanks those who assisted in our efforts. MINOC congratulates Sport Education Athletics Development Officer Amy Howard Sasser’s Marshall Islands Athletics Federation (MIAF) Baseball/ Softball Executive Masters in Sport Organization jump-started the year through After-School Marshall Islands Baseball/ Softball Federation Management completion. She was one of the Sports Training where public primary school (MIBSF) suffered a great loss this year with the 2 three finalists for the Alberto Madella award, students practiced running and stretching untimely passing of its president, national coach 433 which recognizes the best MEMOS project. exercises. A focus on youth saw the addition of and leader in sport Jeimata Nokko Kabua. MIBSF IAAF’s Kids’ Athletics Program and an obstacle would like to thank all the Olympic baseball/ Marshall Islands Sport Education Program course to teach children the importance of an softball family for their kind words of condolence (MISEP) continues its efforts in the community active, healthy lifestyle through sports. and support. and is preparing for a very active 2014 where it will be working directly with the NFs. In February, MIAF organized the Majuro Day Fast-pitch softball continues to be the fastest Track & Field events open to schools and the growing team sport among both men and The RMI Office of the President requested that general public. The annual RMI National Games women. During the annual RMI National Games, MINOC organize a 5K run, 3-on-3 basketball Track & Field Competition was held in May and 17 men’s teams and 15 women’s teams tournament, table tennis tournament and featured runners, throwers and jumpers from all competed in the fast pitch softball tournament. weightlifting and beach volleyball exhibitions to of the villages, communities, and atolls of the celebrate President’s Day in November. These Marshall Islands. Day activities MIBSF completed its greatly successful Olympic sport activities helped galvanize the President’s were celebrated at Delap Park. Also in May, two Solidarity Team Support program during this ongoing NCD awareness and prevention MIAF members, Eunice Borero and Tekabae year’s National Games. MIBSF’s focus on youth initiatives. H.E. President Christopher Loeak is a Gideon, passed the CECS Level 1 Coaching and junior leagues over the past few years great advocate of sport. MINOC and Government Course in Fiji. has produced results. Women's softball has maintain a strong relationship. The Division of shown great development with hundreds more Sports and Recreation, under the leadership of Two athletes participated in the Oceania Area participating, including many younger players Minister of Internal Affairs Wilbur Heine, partners Championships held in Papeetee, Tahiti, in rising to the national team level. Men's softball with MINOC on numerous sports activities. June. Their team manager Carlon Zedkaia also is also experiencing growth with an increase in a attended the OAA-RDC Competition Organization younger age group of players. Just before the end of the year, MINOC received Seminar. In August, MIAF President Rais Aho word that a grant proposal written to Australian and athlete Roman Cress attended the 49th IAAF There is a rise in the number of community Sports Outreach Program, to include NCD Congress and 14th IAAF World Championships in organizations hosting their own leagues. Majuro awareness and prevention programs through its , Russia. Atoll Local Government has encouraged this volleyball and softball leagues, was successful. growth by building new and renovating old MISEP will partner with MIVF and MIBSF to Olympian Haley Nemra and Edison Mathusla facilities in the capitol. deliver this campaign. have focused their efforts to train youth and junior runners in Laura Village. Of the 25 Basketball At the close of 2013, MINOC suffered a great regular participants, they have identified several Minister Thomas Heine returned as President of loss with the untimely passing of MINOC Senior promising youth who have been training twice Marshall Islands Basketball Federation (MIBF) Vice President and dear brother Jeimata Nokko a day, five days a week in preparation for the and Deborah Shoniber was elected as secretary Kabua. He was the Marshall Islands Baseball/ 2014 Micronesian Games in Pohnpei and Youth general.

Annual Report 2013 Annual Report 2013 MIBF delivered the first-ever “Level Two” coach the interested Oceania NOCs together at ONOC’s Ebeye. This proved to be the year of breaking training in the Marshall Islands, which trained Guam secretariat. An invitation was extended national records with Annie Hepler breaking a 21 16 coaches, made possible by USA State for all the new Oceania Federations to year old record for the 100 fly and 15-year-old Department’s sponsorship of the visit by Sports attend the IHF Congress in Doha in October. Mr. Colleen Furgeson breaking the women’s 50 Ambassador Coach Tom Newell, a former NBA Hristo “Taki” Boskoski of the IHF Head Office backstroke record. coach and FIBA certified expert instructor. delivered a great development package, which included start-up equipment to run a youth MISF held a Spring Swim Clinic at the Kwajalein program at the public schools; logistical support 442 In April, MIBF’s National Basketball Development Pool beginning in March. Forty swimmers, 3 Officer (NBDO) Mouj Lewi attended a Training to send youth teams to Oceania Championships; ranging in age from 5-19, attended the 5-week Workshop in Coffs Harbour, Australia, where he uniforms for teams, coaches and referees; and clinic, which successfully taught all participants learned topics ranging from NCD awareness, technical training for coaches and referees. basic swim skills. practical and administrative basketball skills and governance of the Federation. Handball is an ideal sport for the Marshall Seven swimmers competed in the Guam Islands, as evidenced by village children, who, International Meet in May, each posting personal MIBF hosted the annual Majuro high school after receiving a handball and viewing an IHF best times. basketball league, providing clinic management promotional video, fashioned their own goal and administrative assistance, teaming up with post and began playing on the beach. The newly MISF sent its top swimmers, Giordan Harris, Troy Ministry of Internal Affairs Sport Division. established Marshall Islands Handball Federation Kojenlang, and Colleen Furgeson to participate (MIHF) shares IHF’s belief that starting with youth in the FINA 15th World Championships, in The 13th Bank of Marshall Islands Ralik Ratak programs, equipment for schools and support , Spain in July. Each swam two events Shootout Basketball Tournament was held in for teams will develop a strong foundation for the and personal bested their top times. Majuro in September-October. This annual MIBF sport of handball in our country and the region. national tournament turned into a sub-regional It was a big year for Giordan Harris who competition with a men’s team from Pohnpei and MIHF, with IHF, is organizing development benefitted from ongoing training at US Olympian two men’s teams and one women’s team from courses for school handball programs and Michael Johnson’s SPIRE Academy, was selected Nauru. The tournament attracted huge crowds national handball coaches for early 2014. to receive an Oceania Foundation College to the newly constructed Sgt. Solomon Sam We are very excited about this expansion and Scholarship, and broke the national swim records Memorial Court at the College of the Marshall appreciative of IHF’s comprehensive development for Men’s 100 free and 50 free. Islands. plan. Youth swimmer Troy Kojenlang is already FIBA zone development manager Annie La Swimming competing at a high level at only 16 years of age. Fleur conducted a series of clinics that included In January, Marshall Islands Swimming He has been selected to represent the Marshall referee clinics, score table clinics and school Federation (MISF) put together its first Open Islands at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and development visits. Throughout the year Water Team. The eight-boy team learned the continues intensive training. MIBF continued to promote FIBA rules 3-on-3 basics of open water in a safe lagoon-enclosed basketball tournaments. beginner’s course, but with experience have Taekwondo transitioned to a more challenging open water Marshall Islands Taekwondo Federation (MITKDF) Handball course with stronger currents. President Austin Jurelang is working closely with MINOC had been in dialogue with International MINOC to explore ways to obtain much needed Handball Federation (IHF) President Dr. Hassan February began the swim season. The first qualified coaches and equipment to support Moustafa since the 2012 ANOC General swim meet was held with the most swimmers taekwondo training locally in the Marshall Assembly in Moscow. In 2013 IHF brought all participating to date, over 30 swimmers from

Annual Report 2013 Annual Report 2013 Islands. Our elite athletes continue to train and administration during the Marshall Islands Early in 2013, MIVF set a pathway forward compete abroad. Table Tennis Federation (MITTF) national through the development of a quadrennial plan. elections with Dimitrius Tarkwon voted in as MINOC and MISEP assisted MIVF to complete a In 2013, MITKDF, in partnership with MINOC President. Tarkwon has also been nominated as RAT assessment. MIVF is working to organize and the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, MISEP’s Coordinator, which will aid in on-going itself administratively to take advantage of the organized an elite training opportunity for engagements between MITTF and MISEP. opportunities afforded by Olympic Solidarity, FIVB athlete Jason Sam at the National Taiwan Sport and Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC). University (NTSU). His schedule included two- 2 MITTF has strengthened its active youth, junior 453 a-day training sessions; daily match fights with and senior leagues that lead up to the National In March, delegates attended an extraordinary other NTSU students; and regular tournaments Championships, Majuro Day Qualifier and the congress in Tokyo hosted by FIVB and AVC. with other schools. A team of coaches provided President’s Day Tournament. The number of FIVB’s President Dr. Ary Graça announced technical training and physical conditioning. active participants has grown steadily at each a million dollar development plan over this of those events and will continue to grow as quadrennial period through AVC for Oceania Jason credits his NTSU training with his development increases. Volleyball. outstanding Pacific Mini Games performance. After three fights against Tonga, Solomon Islands To further the development of table tennis The RMI National Games volleyball Aelon and Papua New Guinea, Jason secured the gold in the Marshall Islands, MITTF wrapped up (country-wide) competition hosted 16 men’s medal for the Marshall Islands. An additional 2013 with an ITTF-PTT Level 1 Coaching teams and 16 women’s teams in a single honor came during the award ceremony when Course, administered by OTTF Development elimination tournament. The public and private Jason was named the Outstanding Male Officer Michael Brown. From this course we elementary, middle and high school teams had Taekwondo Athlete of the tournament. Returning can expect Marshall Islands to have a total of 10 boys’ teams and 10 girls’ teams, who also to the Marshall Islands, Jason continues to train 8 internationally accredited coaches. These competed in single elimination tournament. and stay in fighting shape with a place on RMI’s accredited coaches, as part of their training, are The MISEP volunteers helped administrate and Team to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio as his developing a national ranking system, which implement the tournament. goal. will be used to select athletes for upcoming Micronesian Games and future international During the OVZA General Assembly in Sydney, For MINOC, it is clear that in instances where competitions. MIVF Vice-President Terry Sasser was elected there is an established training structure, as one of three Vice-Presidents of Oceania committed coaches, technical support and Development of a quadrennial plan is underway Volleyball. competitions, the athlete’s success rate for and is in the process of being finalized. MITTF reaching his or her full potential is far greater. has conducted the readiness assessment tool The introduction of beach volleyball has been This must start locally with the development of (RAT) and will have an action plan for 2014- prioritized by MIVF for this quadrennial, as an organized national sport structure. MITKDF 2016. has the development of youth players through is currently in discussions with both Korea and continuation of the hugely popular FIVB Cool Japan about long-term coaching opportunities, Volleyball Volley program in partnership with MISEP. and with Oceania Taekwondo Union and the During this year’s electoral general assembly, Special thanks for the on-going guidance and Word Taekwondo Federation about securing Marshall Islands Volleyball Federation (MIVF) support of FIVB’s Helgi Thorsteinsson. equipment. President Iso Langbata returned with the confidence of the federation. MIVF strengthened MIVF has selected Ivy Shoniber as head coach Table Tennis its women in leadership objective with the for next year’s Micronesian Games and players The development of table tennis in the election of a female Secretary General and are already seriously training in preparation for Marshall Islands was handed over to a new Vice-President. early 2014 try-outs.

Annual Report 2013 Annual Report 2013 Weightlifting from seasoned lifters. Oceania Youth Champion In February, MWF opened wrestling trials/ try- The Marshall Islands Weightlifting Federation Peter Enoch is working toward the 2014 Youth outs to the public at Lojkar Gym in preparation (MIWLF) is very active. The 2014 Youth Olympic Games. for the Oceania Championship held on Guam in Olympic Games will mark the culmination of an April. Nauru Wrestling Federation sent one of aggressive five-year training program, maturing At the Pacific Mini Games in Wallis and Futuna, their wrestlers to participate in the trials. youth lifters. The youth and junior lifters are Mattie won three silver medals. Mattie’s total having incredible success, both within their age of 162KG would have ranked her in the top 15 With the endorsement of the MINOC, MWF sent groups and also medaling in senior categories. at this year’s World Youth Championships in 4 athletes and 1 coach to compete in the annual Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Oceania Championship in Guam, where the team Oceania Continent number one ranked youth captured 7 medals. and junior lifter Mattie Sasser (age 16) joined MIWLF continues its Sport and Environment 46 2 the Combined Oceania Weightlifting Team outreach to schools. In 2013, MIWLF During the Oceania Council of Associated 3 to compete in the Australian Youth Olympic implemented OWF’s Oceania Talent Identification Wrestling Styles general assembly, Waylon Festival, where she won a gold medal. National Program (OTIP), adding four new lifters to the Muller was voted in as a new Oceania Council Coach Terry Sasser also joined the delegation to team. We have applied for an IWF equipment member and Marshall Islands won the bid to host continue his coaching/refereeing certification and grant and are hopeful for its success. Nutritional the 2015 Oceania Championship. training with OWF Secretary General Paul Coffa. education has become an important facet of the lifters’ training. In 2014, MIWLF will introduce MWF continues ongoing training in preparations RMI took four medals, 3 silver and 1 bronze, an NCD outreach component in partnership with for next year’s Oceania Championship in in the Pacific Islands Email Weightlifting Senior MISEP and the Office of the President. American Samoa, Micronesian Games in Tournament in February. The RMI women’s Pohnpei, and the Youth Olympic Games in China. youth and junior team also won 2 gold medals Wrestling and a bronze medal in the annual ZKC Email Marshall Wrestling Federation (MWF) President International Senior Club Tournament in July. Waylon Muller is now on the MINOC Executive Board as one of its Athletes’ Commission MIWLF President Tony Muller attended the IWF representatives. Edward Adiniwin was elected as electoral congress in Moscow in May. MIWLF MWF secretary general. Kenneth Kramer would like to congratulate IWF President Tomas President Ajan for his re-election. Major objectives for 2013 included development of a MWF strategic plan and talent identification MIWLF continued serious training camps of athletes for Youth Olympic Games and throughout 2013 with twice-a-day workouts, six Micronesian Games. The program began in days a week, a committed coaching staff and the November 2012 and enrolled 25 participants on-going support of MINOC. from three local elementary schools. MWF’s Terry Sasser five-year plan aims to build and sustain a group Secretary General The 2013 Oceania Championship and South of young elite wrestlers in preparation for future Pacific Championship held in Brisbane, Australia, wrestling competitions. saw four Marshallese athletes win nine gold and seven silver medals. Women’s wrestling has taken a big jump this year with a surge in interest from female During school breaks, Oceania Continent number athletes. Standout female wrestler Ilania Keju is one ranked lifters Peter Enoch (age 16) and working to qualify for the 2014 Youth Olympic Lomina Tibon (age 18) benefitted from short- Games. term training at the OWF Institute, including great coaching, first class equipment and mentoring

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