RATU Finau Secondary School returns to the Coca-Cola Games with renewed purpose after a lapse of two years.
Head coach Iobe Taukeisalili said the team may be small, but athletes carried big ambitions.
“Five athletes are representing the Lakeba-based school this year with just one originally from the island, with the remaining four from other provinces of Fiji. Despite the limited numbers, the focus is firmly on quality and commitment,” he said.
The school last competed at the Games in 2023, where a team of 12 athletes took part and their absence in two years marked a break in participation, but he believes the return has been carefully planned.
“This year, we worked closely with teachers and the school administration to select only the best athletes,” he explained. “These are the students who qualified to compete at both the Maritime Zone and the Coca-Cola Games”.
Since its establishment, Ratu Finau Secondary School has yet to secure a gold, silver, or bronze medal at the Coca-Cola Games.
Taukeisalili said history had become a driving force rather than a setback.
“Our mission this year is to win medals, that is what we are working towards,” Taukeisalili said.
Like many schools in the Lau group, the Lakeba-based school faces limited access to training facilities, unpredictable weather, and the high cost of travel to Suva.
“We’ve asked the students to make sacrifices, to give their full effort, and to be patient with the process,” Taukeisalili noted.
The team will compete across several track events, with athletes entered in the 200m and 400m races in the sub-junior, junior girls, and junior boys’ categories.
The inter-boy’s division will see competitors take on the 400m, 800m, and 1500m events.
Notably, the school will not field any senior-grade athletes this year.
As the team prepares to compete over the three-day event, the coach took a moment to acknowledge those who have supported their journey.
“I want to thank the school administration, the teachers, and especially the villagers back home on Lakeba for their tremendous support,” he said.
“We ask everyone to keep these students in their prayers as they compete.”
