Entries open today for the 13th edition of the Pan Pacific Masters Games (PPMG) with more than 20,000 participants and their supporters expected to descend on the Gold Coast from 1-10 November 2024. Best known for an atmosphere of friendliness and fun, the event will see long time master’s mates and a whole swag of new participants to the games gather in the city to contest one or more of the 42 sports on offer.
On your marks Gold Coast, it’s just 12 months until more than 16,000 athletes descend on the city to participate in the 13th biennial Pan Pacific Masters Games (PPMG). And back by popular demand the exclusive PPMG Entertainment Hub will be located at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in the heart of Broadbeach. Delivering a jam-packed line up of evening entertainment the hub is the ‘go to’ place where thousands of participants celebrate, socialise with teammates, and enjoy the camaraderie for which the event is renowned.
Applications are open until Sunday 10 September, 2023 and sports are expected to be confirmed by early November 2023
Leading Queensland sports administrator, Ben Mannion will hit the ground running when he takes up the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Events Management Queensland (EMQ), managers of iconic Australian events, the Gold Coast Marathon and Pan Pacific Masters Games.
Following extensive consideration of feedback from loyal Pan Pacific Masters Games (PPMG) sports, participants and stakeholders the decision has been made not to proceed with an annual event and resume a biennial delivery of the largest and most successful masters multisport event in the world. Planning has commenced to deliver a bigger, reinvigorated and even more exciting Pan Pacific Masters Games experience from 01 – 10 November 2024.
The men’s 35+ basketball gold medal match at the Pan Pacific Masters Games was a boomer for young local referee Heath Lingley.
Townsville side MBC went down 46-31 against a scratch team of former Australian representatives who dub themselves the Has Beens.
And while the court was full of former professional players such as Sam McKinnon, David Andersen, Kelvin Robertson and Mark Worthington, Heath held his own.
They hail from Manchester in the UK, complete with the accent, a wicked sense of humour and love for eating, drinking and merriment.
Peter and Michael are in Australia because they were looking for somewhere to do some boxing as they don’t do a masters level comp in the UK. Pan Pacs came up in their search, and here they are with Michael coaching ringside and Pete donning the gloves to duke it out in the boxing event.
But they wanted to play some more sport while they’re here.
At long last Sydney’s Margot Paterson can tick volunteer at the Pan Pacific Masters Games (PPMG) off her ‘to do’ list now she’s arrived on the Gold Coast to help at the 10-day sporting extravaganza. Recently made redundant from her job as an executive assistant, Margot has thrown herself into a variety of volunteer roles including reading exams for Year 12 students, helping in the Children’s Hospital Family Room and volunteering on New Year’s Eve to support Sydney’s city celebrations. “I had been on the Pan Pacs list for several years and had not been able to volunteer because of my work and COVID.”
They come from Western Queensland.
From Miles and Chinchilla, Roma and Charleville, Cunnamulla and beyond.
They’re the ‘Ageing Stockmen’ and they’ve moseyed on into town to play rugby league in their 12th Pan Pacific Masters Games (PPMG).
The 24 strong team of players enter the social division of the competition but impose strict prerequisites before anyone gets to play.
Stepping into the Southport Bowls Club, something just feels wrong.
ABBA sings something about a 17-year-old dancing queen above the prattle of bowlers reliving ends won and lost by the kiss of the jack while the frothies flow freely.
But something is undeniably missing.
“We had pokies here about 14 or 15 years ago but there was a decision by the board of the day to remove them,” says club manager Glenn Stevenson (46).
“And the club has traded really well without them,” he says.
Wait. Rewind.
A bowlo’ without bells and whistles and jingly music and spinning wheels and people in trances.
