Mayor Tom Tate opening the Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games on Saturday night with Events Management Queensland Chairman Kerry Watson cheering on. Photo: Paul Harris
Sunday 6 November 2016
City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate opened the 2016 Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games last night after a 4,000 strong audience counted him in at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Mr Tate, with a raised arm and a mile-wide smile, declared open the 10-day celebration of masters sport to a rousing reception before the virtual fireworks exploded the arena into a sea of colour.
A passionate masters rugby union player whose playing days have been on hold since taking office, Mr Tate welcomed participants from home and abroad to the city he proudly promotes.
Mayor Tom Tate, Mayoress Ruth Tate and Events Management Queensland Chairman Kerry Watson. Photo: Paul Harris
The 13,000 participants converging at this year’s games to take part in 43 sports hail from many reaches of the globe, including New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, USA and also from within Australia.
Among the athletes are Olympic gold medalists, those who never played higher than D grade and many somewhere in between.
Also in attendance at last night’s opening were event ambassadors Benita Willis, Geoff Masters, Glynis Nunn-Cearns, Nikki Hudson, Pat Carroll, Karla Gilbert and Petero Civoniceva who will be both participating and spectating at the 40 venues during the event.
The 10th biennial Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games is being held 5 – 13 November 2016 on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
