Transcript
Schools and villages have all played their part in getting Samoa ready to host the Pacific Games for the third time.
Our correspondent in Apia, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia says locals have even dipped into their own pockets to ensure the city is looking it's very best.
"All the villages, both islands Savai'i and Upolu...particularly the ones around the town area and venues where the sports are going to be held and as well from the airport all the way to town. They've put a lot of preparations, decorations, spent their own money to clean up beside the road and also around houses. They've put so much effort in trying to make Samoa look pretty."
Samoa agreed to host the Games on short notice after Tonga's government pulled the plug.
But Pacific Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue says Samoa has done a great job in a short amount of time to ensure everything is ready to go.
"It's a country that knows the Games and knows how to host events like this - not just from sporting facilities but right down to things like the cleaning and the feeding and the catering and the transportation so I think the athletes will have a good experience here in Samoa."
Samoa has a record 501 athletes competing on home soil over the next two weeks, many of whom spent the first part of the year training in China.
The country finished third when they last hosted the Games in 2007 but Chef de Mission Nynette Sass says they are determined to earn top spot this time around.
"I think there's been a lot more support towards Team Samoa compared to the past and we really do feel we can win this Games. The usual saying is we're not here to make up numbers - we're putting athletes in to all the sports and all the respective disciplines of those sports because we want to make sure we win this Games, and I think history has it that usually the host country ends up winning the Games. This has been a challenge for us that's been laid out to us by the honourable Prime Minister a bit over a year ago so the sports have really taken this on."
Samoa can expect a typically strong challenge from 2011 champions New Caledonia and a resurgent Tahiti, who are back in the fold after boycotting the 2017 Mini Games.
Papua New Guinea topped the medal table four years ago in Port Moresby and Chef de Mission Emma Waiwai says their expectations remain high.
"These 363 athletes are games ready. Our goal is to win the games on foreign soil and so nothing is impossible and this task is certainly not an impossible one for us." DUR:...11 sec
Australia and New Zealand will also have an increased presence in Apia after being invited to compete in eight sports, four years after making their Pacific Games debut.
Archery will offer direct qualification to the Tokyo Olympics in the mixed recurve event, while the weightlifting event will be held alongside the Oceania and the Commonwealth Championships.
Rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Sunday's opening ceremony and are expected to continue when the sporting competition gets underway on Monday with badminton, basketball, cricket and swimming among 12 sports in action.
