Medal tally at the end of competition on Friday, 24 November 2023. Photo: RNZ Pacific
More gold medals will be decided on Saturday as some of the team sports close off their competition.
Taniela Rainibogi, Fiji's flagbearer at the opening ceremony, secured three weightlifting gold medals in the men's 157 kilogram category to lead his country's jump on the medal tally.
Fiji were at 13th spot on Thursday with two gold, 11 silver and nine bronze but claimed four gold on Friday to climb up the ladder.
Paralympic table tennis player Merewalesi Roden also claimed a gold in her final match, adding to Fiji's tally.
But New Caledonia added another 14 gold to their tally from swimming, karate and archery. They raked in six more gold from karate on Friday.
The way it is looking New Caledonia should be celebrating another top of the table finish next weekend as the Pacific's best.
Australia, who was invited along with New Zealand to participate at the Games some years back, continues to hold to second spot ahead of Samoa.
New Zealand also made their presence felt on Friday, jumping from eighth to sixth on the medal tally.
They claimed a number of gold medals, their biggest from super heavyweight lifter David Liti.
He battled Samoa's Enele Mao of Samoa in the 109+kg category at Maranatha Hall.
Liti emerged as the champion, bagging the gold medal lifting 182kg in the snatch, 223 kg for the clean and jerk, and a total of 405kg in his first Pacific Games victory.
"I am very happy; this is my third Pacific Games appearance and my first time to have won gold. I am super thankful for my coach and team," he told the Pacific Games News Service.
"I am also thankful to the Samoa weightlifting head coach, Jerry (Wallwork), because you always bring out these new boys from Samoa, and they are always very good, and that's what keeps me having my honest work, and I don't like to relax too much."
Iuniarra Sipaia of Samoa claimed three gold medals in the women's 87+kg senior category, and also won the Oceania Champion title with a 107kg snatch lift and 145kg for the clean and jerk.
Competition ends on Saturday in football, rugby sevens, basketball and volleyball.
That should bring in some exciting final clashes.
