HUMBLE beginnings, extraordinary recognition.
For a family that once wondered how far its daughter’s boxing dream could take her, a phone call from Dakar brought an achievement beyond anything they had imagined.
Seventeen-year-old Merewalesi Kolitapa had been selected as a flag bearer for the closing ceremony of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, placing the young Fijian boxer among those chosen to represent the spirit of the global sporting event.
For her mother, Visila Kolitapa, the news was difficult to put into words. It was not a medal or a victory inside the ring, but an international honour that made years of sacrifice, financial struggles and unwavering belief feel worthwhile.
“To actually get her there, it is something that we always hope for,” she said.
Merewalesi had already made her mark by reaching the international stage, making her Youth Olympic Games debut at the Dakar Expo in Senegal on November 8 in the women’s 60kg division. Her campaign ended with a 4-1 split-decision defeat to Japan’s Ayano Mochii in the round of 16.
Although Visila had hoped to see her daughter progress further in the competition, the flag bearer selection became another defining moment in her journey.
“She has gone beyond everyone’s sacrifice to get there. And she deserves the world, I told her,” Visila said.
Boxing runs deep in the Kolitapa household. Merewalesi’s father, Aliki Temo, represented Fiji between 1995 and 2001 in regional competitions and once dreamed of reaching the Olympic Games himself. Visila is also a former national boxer, while Merewalesi’s brothers have followed the family into the ring.
Now, despite being confined to a wheelchair, Temo trains his daughter, sometimes leaning against a wall for support during sparring sessions.
For Visila, supporting that dream has meant making difficult choices.
Merewalesi balances boxing with her studies for FSLC, carrying school books on overseas trips and waking up at 5am for training.
“She said to me, ‘Mom, I’m so tired.’ I said to her, it’s going to be okay. Just for a little while,” Visila recalled.
The financial pressure has also been considerable. The family has struggled to meet the costs of international competition, with crowdfunding helping Merewalesi travel to Bangkok for qualification.
“I have to go beyond my means to seek sponsorship for her, at least to put some money for her pocket money,” Visila said.
Yet she finds comfort in her daughter’s humility. Merewalesi washes her own clothes and cleans up after meals because she does not want her mother returning home to more work.
“All those things that you have done behind the scenes. Now, you’re getting rewarded for it,” Visila told her daughter.
