Sport in Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a country that may be surrounded by water but their sport actually varies depending on the gender of those involved. The popular sports are volleyball for women while soccer and rugby for the men.
Football was also popular during the 1980s. In fact, the country is a member of FIFA and OFC sadly, they have never qualified for the World Cup but now it is said that they have 8,000 registered cricketers and that makes cricket more popular than football in Vanuatu.
Vanuatu may not always win but they always engage in different sporting events whether it’s continental or international level. This country has participated in all editions of the Pacific Games from 1983 in Samoa and Pacific Mini Games since 1981 in the Solomon Islands. Vanuatu also had their first participation at the Olympic Games in 1988; unfortunately no Vanuatu athlete has ever won an Olympic medal.
The ni-Vanuatu are very proud of their athletes, in particular Beach Volleyballers Henriette Latika and Miller Elwin. This duo has been playing on the World Tour since 2008.
Vanuatu has a wide variety of sporting events especially for the tourists, ranging from the Vanuatu Round Island Relay (a running race around the island), Golf Open Tournaments, Blue Marlin Fishing Contests, and the Kiwanis Horse Race.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Vanuatu. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.
Popular sports of Vanuatu
- Cricket, football (soccer), rugby, volleyball
Vanuatu Sporting Success
Great athletes from Vanuatu
- Henriette Latika and Miller Elwin (beach volleyball)
Vanuatu Sports trivia
Vanuatu at major events
Past sporting events hosted in Vanuatu
- 1993 South Pacific Mini Games
- 2017 South Pacific Mini Games
Upcoming sporting events in Vanuatu
Annual sporting events held in Vanuatu
- Vanuatu Round Island Relay - a road race round the island of Efae in Vanuatu it is a relay with 10 legs betweent 5-7km each
- Kiwanis Horse Race
Sporting Facilities in Vanuatu
- Korman Stadium Games Sporting complex
- Lamenu Stadium - a multi-purpose stadium located in Tanna Island
- Luganville Soccer City Stadium - a sports stadium located in Luganville
- Port Vila Municipal Stadium - a sports stadium in Port Vila
Related Pages
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