Overview:
Koror completed a remarkable comeback to capture the overall championship at the 2026 Belau Games, overtaking Sonsorol after trailing midway through the competition. The Games concluded Thursday with the men’s baseball final and a sunset closing ceremony at Asahi Stadium.
By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
KOROR, Palau (July 23, 2026) — The 2026 Belau Games concluded Thursday evening at Asahi Stadium with a sunset closing ceremony following the men’s baseball championship, bringing an end to one of Palau’s largest multi-sport competitions.
A total of 804 medals were awarded during the Games, including 312 gold, 267 silver and 225 bronze medals. Approximately 1,200 athletes from all 16 states competed, according to Palau National Olympic Committee Secretary General Baklai Chilton Temengil.
Koror State finished atop the overall medal standings after a late surge, followed by Sonsorol, Airai, Peleliu and Aimeliik in the top five.
In total medals won, Koror also led the field, while Aimeliik edged Peleliu for fourth place with 77 total medals compared with Peleliu’s 58. However, Peleliu held onto fourth place in the gold-medal standings with 24 gold medals, just one more than Aimeliik’s 23.
The medal race looked very different midway through the Games. As of Saturday, July 18, Sonsorol led the standings with 64 gold medals, while Koror had 51, leaving Koror trailing by 13 golds. Sonsorol built that advantage through its dominant performance in weightlifting.
After the weightlifting competition concluded, Koror steadily accumulated gold medals across the remaining sports. The state won gold in many of the events still on the schedule, eventually overtaking Sonsorol to finish with 83 gold medals, compared with Sonsorol’s 69.
Sonsorol’s success was fueled by its traditional strength in weightlifting. Athletes from the southwest state collected 37 gold medals across multiple weight classes. Hatohobei finished with 12 weightlifting gold medals, while Koror earned six in the sport.
Koror’s championship run was driven by balanced performances across multiple disciplines. The state won 18 gold medals in athletics and added 10 gold medals in va’a (canoe racing), while also capturing gold medals in numerous other sports to complete its comeback.
Airai dominated the swimming competition, winning 26 gold medals across multiple events and distances to showcase its depth in the pool.
Although Sonsorol fielded fewer athletes than many of the larger states, its outstanding weightlifting performance was enough to secure second place overall.
The Games concluded with the men’s baseball championship, where Koror defeated Airai to capture the gold medal. Airai earned silver, while Peleliu claimed bronze.
The championship game was immediately followed by the closing ceremony at Asahi Stadium, officially ending the 2026 Belau Games after several days of competition featuring athletes from across Palau.
