WAINIMALA Secondary School is quietly rebuilding with purpose, resilience, and belief ahead of this year’s Triple N zone athletics meet.
While speaking to this newspaper, assistant coach Joeli Liga struck a confident tone.
“Our preparation is good and we’ve prepared well for this zone meet,” he said. “We’re expecting good results for our team”
Compared to previous years, the school has lost several experienced athletes, with some students transferring to other schools.
Liga shared that the coaching staff focused on developing new talent.
“This year we’ve been losing participants from previous years, but we are breeding many more in our school right now,” he admitted.
Yesterday, Wainimala has built its reputation on endurance events, particularly the 1500m and 3000m races.
Those middle-distance events remain the team’s strongest medal prospects.
Liga said preparation would not be a success without its challenges.
Training conditions in the mountainous area have tested athletes.
“There are challenges during our preparation at the beginning of the school year, especially with the ground.
“That is one of the most challenging things for our students. And the weather as well, sometimes it’s raining up there.”
Liga credits the strong backing of the Wainimala community as a key factor in the team’s resilience.
Despite those obstacles, excitement is building especially among the younger athletes.
For many sub-juniors, this zone meet marks their first experience competing at a major stadium.
“For the sub-juniors, they are more excited.
“It’s their first year. Some of them are still learning what is expected, but they are giving their best.”
The journey to the competition has also been a test of commitment.
“The team travelled down a day early with 49 athletes, making the long trip from the highlands to ensure they were ready to compete.
“The support from our community is quite good.
“The old scholars and the villagers are giving full support financially and morally to back up the team.”
With that support and a new generation of athletes stepping up, Wainimala Secondary School is embracing its underdog status.
