An Olympic dream in the middle of the Pacific for an employee of Golf de Biarritz

Diandra Mawhinney will compete from this Tuesday in the Pacific Mini-Games in the Mariana Islands, 12,684 kilometers from the Golf de Biarritz where she is employed. Golf Planète tells you this beautiful story.

Representing your city, your club, is always an honour. But representing his homeland, also when it comes to the Games, becomes a dream for all athletes in the world. That is what will live Diandra Mawhiney this week. this employee of Golf of Biarritz le Phare is going to play a rather special Games, not the traditional summer or winter Olympics, which are so publicized, but the Pacific Mini-Games.

This term may not mean anything to you; however, this event brings together 21 Pacific states and territories, including New Caledonia, French Polynesia (Tahiti) and Wallis and Futuna on the French side, but also Fiji, Tonga or even Papua New Guinea through nine disciplines.

For a thousand athletes, the event began last Friday and will end on June 25 in Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands.
The competition was originally scheduled to take place last September, but had to be postponed due to the health crisis.

A surprise

It is at the golf event that Diandra Mawhiney will represent Tahiti, the island where he was born.
“againstIt’s not something that happens every dayshe says. At first I felt stressed, but I am very happy and very proud to represent our archipelago. “.

The native of Papeete did not expect this selection. ” I had competed in Moorea at the end of last year and it was someone who had seen me play there who offered me to be part of the team. It was then the president of the Polynesian Golf Federation who called me. he very pleasantly surprised me “.

a family affair

The young woman who also recently created her clothing brand adapted to golf, Ekinui, will not be the first in her family to represent her island. If her father is a professional, her maternal grandmother, Maina Dean, he was several times a medalist in the Pacific Mini-Games, as well as in the Pacific Games (same principle, but with more nations).

” Golf is a family affair, with my professional father and maternal grandmother regularly representing Polynesia in tournaments.summarizes. I came back to Tahiti at the end of last year on vacation, my grandmother brought out her outfit that she had worn during one of the Games, and two months later I was asked to participate again. So yes, it is a huge pride. she is a role model for me “.

do my best

With a rating of 10 and no knowledge of her opponents, it’s hard for the 26-year-old amateur golfer to set a goal. ” I will try to give everything but it will be very difficult.abstract Diandra Mawhiney. Beyond my personal result, it will also be important to play well because we must not forget the team’s score. “.

There will be two qualifiers in this four-day tournament played in Coral Ocean Resort located on the island of Saipan, a sumptuous complex where there is an equally magical par 72 with idyllic views of the sea. The first classification will be individual and will be calculated with the sum of the scores of the four days played in stroke play (without court). A second team will also be established that could allow him to win two medals with his three teammates that he did not know before arriving at the venue.

” The course is a bit dry, quite long but it is playable. » the player told us after discovering this golf course.

The GBS Agreement

This wonderful experience was also possible thanks to his employer, the Biarritz Golf Society (GBS). If his entire trip was taken into account by the Polynesian Olympic Committee, the director of the Biarritz Golf, Marc Tremelagreed to give him time to train and participate in this international meeting.

“ the Biarritz Golf, and in particular the manager, they were very understanding and agreed to release me for three weeks just before the summer so I could go play the tournament. “.

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