THE Coca-Cola Ba Zone athletics meet continues to grow from strength to strength, with organisers focused not only on competition but building a pathway to national success.
Zone president and delegate Hussain Shah confirmed that a total of 688 athletes from nine secondary schools were competing in the two-day event at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
“Starting off with the first event after the official opening, things are well underway and within our officials’ control. Things are turning out to be as planned,” Shah said.
He credited the smooth running of the competition to the commitment and preparation of his executive team.
“Whatever we see on the grounds today (yesterday) is the sheer dedication of my executives, from planning to the hard work they have done to present a stage like this for the athletes of Ba.”
Ba continues to host its competition outside its district, marking its ninth year staging the event at Churchill Park, a move Shah says is aimed at raising standards.
“Our aim is to improve our performance at the national level. We want to nurture the talent within Ba and ultimately achieve podium finishes at the Coca-Cola Games.”
Organising an event away from home comes with its challenges, particularly with logistics and finance, but Shah acknowledged the support of key partners.
“This is the ninth year we have been travelling from Ba to Lautoka with the assistance of the Fiji Secondary Schools Athletics Association and our corporate partners.”
He paid tribute to sponsors Kumkee Prints and Designs and Gokula Hotel Fiji Ltd for providing attire for athletes and officials.
“With these corporate partners on board, I am really indebted to them. We look forward to greater support from businesses in Ba so we can continue to do the best for our athletes.”
Shah also acknowledged the support of national athletics executives, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces medics and the Fiji Police Force for ensuring the event runs smoothly.
Beyond competition and qualification, Shah emphasised that safety and discipline remain top priorities.
“At the end of the day, apart from our Zone results and qualification to the Games, we want our event to be injury-free, incident-free and drug-free,” he said.
