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 London 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. World Athletics 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 Moscow, 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 Handball 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