National athletics representative Avikash Lal took out top honours at yesterday’s inaugural Namosi Marathon.
He was the top gun. He was the champion at the end of the day.
What started out as a cool and cloudy morning eventually turned into a wet day. In a way, it sort of cooled the runners down in the gruelling race. This certainly wasn’t an event for the faint-hearted.
There were many things to admire about yesterday’s marathon. Lal led from the start and ended the 42.2km race, through a rugged course, with victory.
He had prepared well for it. The view was breathtaking, the course tough, and participants were focused and determined.
Thrown into the mix was 69-year-old former national athletics rep Shiri ‘Mushroom’ Chand who completed the 10km segment of the race.
With a long and distinguished sporting career behind him, Mushroom said he wished he had trained for the marathon.
He opted for the 10km race because he was not well prepared.
“The race route was tough but I used my experience to help me through to the finish line,” he later confided.
“I wish that more young runners participate in this kind of tough and difficult races because it can help them when it’s time to represent Fiji.”
Minister for Infrastructure, Meteorological Services, Lands and Mineral Resources, Jone Usamate also competed in the 10km run.
“It was really tiring but a good experience,” Mr Usamate said at the finish line.
“I encourage people to come and join this initiative, keep fit and be healthy.”
He raised an issue that’s worth discussing. So let’s throw in non-communicable diseases into the mix here.
We know that the problem of NCDs is not only for the Ministry of Health.
Any effort to fight NCDs, which is already at a frightening level here, needs our support. According to the World Health Organization NCDs kill 41 million people every year which is equivalent to 71 per cent of all deaths globally.
Each year 15 million people die from a NCD between the ages of 30 and 69 years, and over 85 per cent of these premature deaths happen in low and middle-income countries.
Cardiovascular diseases, it stated, accounted for most NCD deaths which was 17.9 million people annually. This was followed by cancers at 9.0 million, respiratory diseases at 3.9 million, and diabetes at 1.6 million.
It listed tobacco use, lack of physical activity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets as contributors that raised the risk of dying from a NCD. Perhaps we could relook at our priorities and maybe take a leaf off Mushroom’s book. He stands as inspiration and a beacon of hope for Fijians.
He is a glaring example of what can be achieved if the heart is willing, and if you put in the tough yards. He’s able to complete a 10km race at his age.
It does raise questions of how much we want to improve our health, and the commitments we are willing to make to achieve our goals. We really shouldn’t be waiting on anyone.
We should be taking that first step. Congratulations are in order for all those who took part in yesterday’s marathon.
Let’s be motivated Fiji!
