On August 15, 1984 The Fiji Times reported the return of the Olympics team.
Though they returned home without any medal, they came back with lots of experience.
“But they will talk a lot about being part of the great drama, of now for instance new legend Carl Lewis who won four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and the long jump,” The Fiji Times reported.
It was also the first year Fiji was represented in judo, swimming and cycling.
“This is where you watch the world’s best in all sports,” judoka Viliame Takayawa was reported as saying.
Takayawa lost to a world champion from West Germany in the preliminary bouts as did Simione Kuruvoli to an Egyptian,
Veteran athlete Joe Rodan finished fifth in this 400m heat, his best performance in the games with 49s beating athletes from Guyana, Malawi and Kenya.
Inoke Bainimoli just missed qualifying in a 200m heat that was won by Lewis, while he equalled his personal best of 22.16s, he came fifth in a field of eight.
He burst past sprinters from Cameroon, Guyana and Bangladesh.
Tony Philp Jr was disqualified in two of his races, one was for crossing the line too soon in the “Windglider” class.
Tony Philp Sr and Bruce Hewitt came last in a field of 20 in the “Tornado” class in yachting.
The pair were the only ones using a wooden boat for the games. It was a borrowed boat. Most of the Olympic yachtsmen were using boats made of fibreglass.
Swimmers Samuela Tupou, Sharon Pickering broke national and South Pacific Games records in their respective heats.
