The biennial Arafura Sports Games opens in the Australian city of Darwin today.
Thousands of competitiors have converged on the Northern Territory to compete in 20 sports ranging from swimming to cricket to tenpin bowling.
Vinnie Wylie reports.
"For many of the athlete's competing in Darwin it's not just medals at stake either. The weightlifting contest, for example, doubles as the Oceania Champs, with qualification points one the line for the upcoming World Championships. The Arafura Games will be officially opened this evening at the TIO Stadium, where a number of musical acts will entertain the crowd, including Australian pop singer Jessica Mauboy. The it's onto the competition, with volleyball one the sports due to get underway tomorrow. Also incorporated into the event is the Oceania Paralympic Championships. The Paralympians will compete in four sports - athletics, swimming, power-lifting and table tennis."
The Games run for one week.
