A VACUUM has been left in Fiji’s athletics arena since the passing of the late former decathlon athlete and coach Joseph Rodan Junior.
These were the sentiments of his former coach and his decathlon predecessor Albert Miller.
Miller was one of more than 30 people consisting of current and former national athletes and sporting officials who presented their traditional i-reguregu to the family of the late former athlete and coach in Lami yesterday. He reflected on how he had coached the late Rodan and the ways in which his passing would impact the sport.
“He still had a lot to contribute to the sport so there’s going to be a vacuum left after he’s gone,” Miller said of his protégé.
Rodan was coached by Miller to two Commonwealth Games and succeeded him in becoming the next decathlon athlete in Fiji.
“It’s always sad when we lose people at that young age.”
“We just wish the family well and hopefully his legacy will live on through the programs that we will run in the future.” Miller, a Fijian sporting luminary who has flown the national flag at the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Pacific Games.
Rodan Junior has also won multiple gold medals in the Pacific Games for the decathlon and became the Games’ youngest gold medallist for it at 17-years-old.
Fiji’s current decathlon athlete is Waisele Inoke, who took in the event during the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Koror, Palau.
A decathlon athlete is one that specialises in the execution of ten track-and-field events held over two days. These events are the 100 metres, 400 metres, 1500 metres, 110 metre hurdles, long jump, high jump, pole vault, discus throw, javelin throw and shotput.
