IT was at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games when Fiji and the Pacific fielded its first women athlete ever at the Games and she was Miriama Chambault nee Tuisorisori.
To date, no other women athlete has ever achieved what Chambault had and that being selected to represent three different countries in the duration of her sporting career.
“I was the flag bearer and captain and took part in the women’s heptathlon — 100m hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, javelin, 200m and 800m,” Chambault said from Paris, France.
Though it was her first outing, she was placed 18th with a total tally of 3827 points.
She was back at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games where she participated in the 100m and 200m.
Her time in the 100m was 13.04s coming sixth in her heat and in the 200m she clocked 26.82s to come seventh.
Though, she now lives in Paris, Chambault is still a strong supporter of Fiji. She will make an effort to visit Fijians who come to Paris or even travel to London to cheer the sevens team at the London 7s.
While being a top athlete was something she will always cherries, she also has an advice to athletes.
“You are never forgotten as a woman representing your country and national flag. It’s a unique feeling, even if its decades later,” Chambault said.
“There is going to be a period of anticlimax — you just got to be prepared for that and accept although it takes a while mentally before you can start building towards another goal, your future and life goes on.
“You have to channel all your energies into your training. Train like a demon, adhere to a really strict diet.
“Socially you don’t exist. You are carrying the Fiji flag and the hopes of the one million people of Fiji and Fijians around the world. I wish all the athletes a very successful blessing and all the best in Rio.”
Sporting Career:
• Chambault represented Fiji at the South Pacific Games, Mini Games from 1969-1984 represented setting records and winning 25 gold medals for Fiji.
• In 1969, she won gold in the long jump with a leap of 5.24 m.
• In 1971 she won gold in the 4×100 metres relay, pentathlon with 3389 points; silver in the 200m with a time of 25.8 sec, bronze in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 15.4s.
• She was the New Zealand 100m hurdles champion in 1971 and was selected to represent NZ at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games but withdrew because of her final law exams.
• In 1975, she won gold in the 200m with a time of 25.7s, long jump with a jump of 5.61m; silver in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 15.04 s, pentathlon with 3673 points and 4×100 relay metres time 49.82 s.
• After getting married, Chambault represented New Caledonia at the South Pacific Games winning gold in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.80s, long jump — 5.61m and silver in the 100 metres with a time of 12.37s as well in pentathlon with 3323 points.
• At the 1983 SPG, she won gold in the 100m with a time of 12.39s, silver in the 100m hurdles with time of 15.13s and long jump — 5.42m. She also won bronze in the 4x100m relay.
• In 1997, she was Inducted into the Hall of Fame Fijian Sport.
