5,500 revellers packed the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre to celebrate the Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games. Photo: Paul Harris
Sunday 13 November 2016
The 2016 Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games (JPPMG) have finished with a gold medal performance.
Across the Gold Coast today the final events were run and won, however last night’s official closing ceremony at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre was voted as ‘pure gold’ by the more than 5500-strong audience.
“The camaraderie on display at this closing ceremony and on the sporting fields is what makes the games truly special,” Events Management Queensland Chairman Kerry Watson said.
“There are 13,000 very happy people on the Gold Coast enjoying their sport, their live music and most of all their reconnection with old teammates and the forming of new friendships.”
Mr Watson confirmed that the 10th version of the biennial Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games had been an outstanding success.
“The numbers are amazing,” he said. “Ten fabulous days, a record 43 sports, 13,239 participants, 90,000 visitor nights.
“To have Olympic gold medalists in the same room as those who never played higher than D grade, all dancing and celebrating together to the strains of some icons of Australian music is one of the many wonderful aspects of these games.”
Saturday night’s celebration was the highlight of a weeklong entertainment extravaganza for masters games participants at Jupiters Gold Coast and the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Absolutely 80s Show featured Kids in the Kitchen’s Scott Carne, Choirboy’s Mark Gable, Real Life’s David Sterry and Models’ Sean Kelly.
Also in attendance last night were event ambassadors Geoff Masters, Glynis Nunn-Cearns and Pat Carroll who were both participating and spectating at the 40 venues during the event.
Mr Watson also paid tribute to the army of volunteers who are the cornerstone of the Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games.
“There are more than 1000 volunteers involved and they do an incredible job with what is a massive undertaking,” he said.
The 10th biennial Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games was held 5 – 13 November 2016 on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
The event showcased competition in 43 sports and hosted 13,239 participants from Queensland, interstate and overseas.
