The level of competition is promising, with numerous athletes from 13 participating countries coming directly from the 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Budapest last August.

Para-Athletics will also be represented, being the largest ever seen at a Pacific Games, with the participation of 50 athletes in the five medal events: ambulant 100m, seated 100m, ambulant shot put, seated shot put, and ambulant javelin throw.

From the most popular track events such as sprints, middle-distance, and long-distance, to the eye-catching field events, the Sol2023 athletics competition is set to attract thousands to the Honiara National Stadium throughout the week (ending on Saturday, December 2).

Both men's and women's events include: 100 meters, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m, 10,000m, 100m hurdles (women), 110m hurdles (men), 400m hurdles, 3,000m steeplechase, 4x100m relays, 4x400m relays, half marathon, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, hammer throw, decathlon (men), and heptathlon (women).

The sprint events promise new champions following the absence of Fiji's Banuve Tabakaucoro (retired before the games) and Papua New Guinea's Toea Wisil, who became a mother in September. Consequently, Sol2023 will witness the crowning of new sprint kings and queens in the 100m and 200m.

In the middle and long-distance events, local athlete Sharon Firisua, who also holds the record for the 5000m in the Pacific Games, will capture all attention as she aims for the title in front of her people.

The high jump, both male and female, also promises to be an exciting spectacle, with competitors striving to break records that have stood for 44 years in both categories, set by Paul Poaniewa of New Caledonia (2.21m) and Daniele Guyonnet of Tahiti (1.80m).

"All athletics events will be eye-catching for the spectators with loud support, as many of these events are commonly followed by people in Honiara," said Sarah Gale, Manager of the Athletics Cluster at the Games Organizing Committee (GOC).

Athletic action begins at 1 pm on Monday with the women's heptathlon 100m hurdles and men's 400m hurdles, as reported by the Pacific Games News Service.

Another star sport of the games, boxing, starts this Monday, November 27, at the Friendship Hall in Honiara, featuring a total of 23 weight categories in the men's (13) and women's (10) divisions.

The second week will also see the debut of Kayaking. From Monday, November 27, to Thursday, November 30, at the picturesque DC Park in the east of Honiara, it promises to be the ideal setting for a display of skill and speed on the water. Rowers compete solo (K1) or in pairs (K2) and will vie for medals in the K1 - 500m and K2 - 500m races, for both men and women, along with the challenging 16 km marathon races for men and women in the K1 and K2 categories. Participants from six countries (Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Tahiti) will seek glory in an arena with open (and free) entry for the public, promising great fan attraction.

Tomorrow marks the debut of Hockey (November 28 to December 1), Beach Volleyball (November 28 to December 2) with 29 teams and 70 matches at the IFF Academy in Honiara, while the Maranatha Hall in Honiara will host some of the Pacific's best weightlifters competing in three different disciplines (squat, bench press, and deadlift). Powerlifting will be in action from November 28 to 30.

The medal tally continues to be led, as throughout the competition, by New Caledonia with a total of 131 medals (58-38-35), doubling its closest pursuer, Australia, which has 59 in total (29+19+11), and Tahiti with 88 but only 23 golds (23+30+35).