Koror, Palau - ONOC President Baklai Temengil-Chilton addressed delegates gathered at the Ming Hall of the Palasia Hotel, providing an update on ONOC’s strategic direction and introducing the new Executive Board elected at the 45th ONOC Annual General Assembly in Guam.

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“Our shared vision is clear — sport must empower and uplift all our communities,” said President Temengil-Chilton. ONOC stands ready to work hand-in-hand with our members, the IOC, the PGC, OSFO, and key partners to deliver long-term development and success on the road to Brisbane 2032.”

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She noted the seven-year lead-up to Brisbane as a critical window for accelerating high-performance systems, athlete pathways, and regional cooperation.

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New ONOC Leadership

The Assembly was formally introduced to ONOC’s new leadership, elected in May:

President: Mrs Baklai Temengil-Chilton (Palau)

Vice President: Ms Emma Waiwai (Papua New Guinea)

Secretary General: Mr Ricardo Blas (Guam)

Executive Board Members: Mr James Tobin (FSM), Ms Cathy Wong (Fiji), Ms Maureen Tuimaleali’ifano (Samoa), Mr Marcus Stephen (Nauru)

Athletes’ Commission Representative: Mr Ken Wallace (Australia)

IOC Members in Oceania: Dr Robin Mitchell (Fiji), Ms Auvita Rapilla (PNG), Mr Ian Chesterman (Australia), Ms Sarah Walker (New Zealand)

IOC Athletes’ Commission: Ms Jessica Fox and Mr Marcus Daniell

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ONOC at the 2025 Palau Mini Games

ONOC’s engagement during the 2025 Pacific Mini Games was also spotlighted, with several activations aligned to its strategic priorities:

Voices of the Athletes (VOA) Outreach: Led by the ONOC Athletes’ Commission, the VOA programme engages athletes in conversations on values, safeguarding, mental well-being, and integrity in sport.

Medical Support Programme: ONOC’s Medical Commission is supporting Games-time health services in partnership with the Organising Committee and Palau NOC.

High Performance Development Systems: Through OSEP, ONOC is conducting a regional study of NOC talent pathways, including talent identification activations supported by international partners in the USA and Japan.

Communications and IT: A regional storytelling initiative is being delivered in partnership with The Reporters’ Academy, training Palauan youth correspondents to profile athletes and capture cultural stories from the Games. The initiative also includes a production team from ANOC Studio capturing stories for distribution to member NOCs and the Games Organising Committee.

Sustainability Engagements: IOC Sustainability Commission Head Julie Duffus is on site meeting with NOCs to co-develop sustainability strategies aligned with the ONOC NOC Sustainability Framework.

“These Games will be remembered not just for the medals won, but for the legacy of capacity built, athletes empowered, and systems strengthened,” said Temengil-Chilton.

She concluded with a call for urgency and collective action:

“The journey to Brisbane 2032 has already begun. Let’s accelerate together as one Oceania team.”

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For more information about the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, visit;