Northern Marianas Island is set to host the Mini Pacific Games next summer ©Getty Images

The Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) is "impressed" with the venues for next year's Northern Marianas 2022 Pacific Mini Games after a visit to the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) last month, according to Northern Marianas 2022 Organising Committee chief executive Vicente Babauta.

The ONOC and the Guam National Olympic Committee paid a visit to the CNMI to conduct a workshop.

During their trip, they visited the venues which will host the Pacific Mini Games next year, and Babauta said those in attendance - Oceania Sport Education Program regional master educator Joey Miranda III, ONOC chief administration officer Meli Cavu and ONOC chief communications officer Inoke Bainimarama - were "impressed" with what they saw.

"Overall, they’re impressed with all the venues and what the Organising Committee has been doing to get ourselves ready for the Mini Games," said Babauta, as reported by the Saipan Tribune.

"They’re confident that most of the facilities, especially those outside the [Oleai Sports Complex], will be ready."

The American Memorial Park tennis court is due to be resurfaced this year, while the Crowne Plaza Resort, which is set to host the beach volleyball competition and is, per Babauta, one of few Mini Pacific Games beach volleyball venues that has "actual sand on the beach".

Babauta added: "We visited Coral Ocean Resort for golf and even the va’a location over at the Garapan shoreline fronting the J.P. Center and they were also impressed."

All preparations are not running entirely smoothly, however, as Babauta admitted repairs on the Oleai Sports Complex and the baseball field still need to be completed.

"The challenge now is obviously the Oleai Sports Complex and ensuring the grants from the [Federal Emergency Management Agency] goes through and actually deliver what needs to be repaired such as resurfacing of the track and field and most importantly the baseball [field]," he said.

Northern Marianas Sports Association executive director Carli Sablan confirmed they are working with Northern Marianas 2022 to accelerate the repairs.

"Our athletes need proper facilities and equipment to train in order to deliver their best during the Mini Games," said Sablan. 

"It is our understanding that the design work is just about done and projects are soon to get off the ground."

The 2022 Mini Pacific Games are due to take place from June 17 to 25 next summer.