More than 300 people gathered at Albert Park last Saturday to celebrate Olympic Day 2026, with families, schools and community groups enjoying a day filled with sport, fun and the Olympic spirit.
Hosted by the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC), this year’s celebration embraced the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) global theme, “You Can Do This,” encouraging people of all ages and abilities to get active, try something new and experience the joy of sport.
Participants had the chance to experience 14 different sports that included archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, chess, flag football, gymnastics, hockey, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball and weightlifting. Younger participants also enjoyed Art on the Go, where creativity and sport came together in a fun and engaging way.
Throughout the day, the focus remained on the Olympic values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship, with participants learning new skills, making friends and enjoying activities in a welcoming environment.
Special moments of this year’s Olympic Day were the participation of students from Hilton Special School, Fiji Vocational Technical Training Centre (FVTTC) and Gospel School for the Deaf boarders from the Harland Hostel, home to children from the Fiji Deaf Society.
Their involvement marked an important step towards making the event even more inclusive, with the children enthusiastically taking part in the day’s activities alongside everyone else.
The official programme featured Olympian Albert Miller, who shared this year’s Olympic Day message from International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, reminding everyone that sport has the power to inspire, unite communities and create opportunities for all.
The day began with plenty of energy thanks to the Vuvale Bootcamp, led by the Australia Defence Force, who had participants moving with a lively warm-up before they headed off to the various sports stations.
FASANOC extends its sincere appreciation to the Australian High Commission in Fiji for its continued partnership and support in helping make Olympic Day a success.
This year also welcomed the U.S. Embassy Suva as a new Olympic Day partner. The Embassy introduced Flag Football, one of the newest sports that will feature at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, giving many participants their very first experience of the sport.
FASANOC also thanks CJ Patel Pacific Limited for keeping participants fuelled with Weet-Bix throughout the day, while Fun Flavours brought smiles to children with refreshing treats.
Appreciation is also extended to all FASANOC sponsors, partners, National Federations and volunteers whose continued support helped deliver another successful Olympic Day celebration.
A big shout out to Olympic Solidarity for the grant that assisted towards the expenses for the day’s event.
FASANOC CEO Vanessa Kilner said it was encouraging to see so many people come together to celebrate sport and healthy living.
“Olympic Day is about bringing communities together through sport while promoting the Olympic values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship. It was wonderful to see so many children, families and community groups trying different sports, making new friends and simply enjoying being active together,” she said.
With more than 300 participants taking part, new partnerships formed, and greater inclusivity on display, Olympic Day 2026 was a memorable celebration of the power of sport. As the IOC’s theme reminds us, “You Can Do This”, and Fiji surely showed how together we were able to assemble, have fun and promote Olympism.
