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One with the Olympics

By JONE LUVENITOGA
Sunday, June 21, 2009

You can call her an Olympic baby although she was born two years after the 22nd Olympic Games in Moscow 1980. Thirteen years later from the games in Moscow at the age of 10, she was woken by her mum at 2am one day to join the thousands out on the streets of Sydney celebrating her country's winning bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games, which was aired live on a big screen near the Opera House in 1993.

Seven years later and just days away from her 18th birthday, she lost a bid to be part of the games as a volunteer official who were supposed to be 18 years old at the time.

But she went on to celebrate her birthday during the 27th Olympic Games in Sydney on September 20.

She watched every event from her family lounge room and watched it live whenever she could afford the tickets.

A series of events she says was the most exciting of her life was when she met the worlds best athletes, most of whom she just read about.

She said there could never be a better place to spend a piece of your life and time.

It was a moment in her young life where she made a commitment that she wanted to be part of the Olympics.

Even at the age of 26, FASANOC's Media Communication Officer Fleta Page is still stuck to the same plan after attending three Olympic Games beginning in Sydney before traveling to Europe for the 28th Athens Olympics in 2004.

And the final lag of her travels, wherever the games would take her, hasn't been decided yet after the 29th games in China last year where she lost her second bid to be a volunteer.

But wherever she went, what drew her to the games were the same feeling she experienced back home in Sydney - the spirit of fairness and unity that touched everyone involved.

It's an experience that fills her up with passion and one she wants to share through her work after completing her Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Public Relations and Organisational Communication.

It's a choice dictated by her commitment and the only entrÚe for one who lacks the physical attributes of an Olympiad.

The same love and passion for the major event brought her here to Fiji and FASANOC through the Australian volunteer program called 'Young Ambassadors Volunteers for Development.'

"I saw this volunteer position with FASANOC just after the Beijing Olympics and it was the first time I was presented with an opportunity to get involved in the Olympics as more than just a spectator and I jumped at it," Ms Page said.

Besides the Olympic dream, this is her first visit to the Pacific where Fiji tops the list for its beautiful scenery and friendly people. It's a place she believes she can really involve herself in the Olympics movement and her love for sports.

But her time here is limited, just three years away from the London Olympics come 2012. With her work at FASANOC, she is busy organising Olympic day celebrations which involve schools with essay writings and art.

It's a new concept for the celebration.

But come the beginning of the 30th Olympics, she would be on the move again.

"I don't know how I'll get there or what I'll be doing. Whether I will be working for someone, volunteering or just as a spectator again. But I'll be there no matter what."

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