I refer to Amenatave Yaconisau’s remark in your June 27, 2016 edition on the above subject, in relation to the comment I made about Fiji swimming last week. It is natural for people who are close to the subject matter to respond in such a way when the truths are revealed and Yaconisau is no exception. The bone of contention of my letter is to shake up officials in Fiji Swimming Association to enlarge their territory. I believe nothing has changed in swimming for the past 40 years and the story is the same today.
From the time of Samuela Tupou and Sharon Pickering, Caroline and Carl to the present swimmers, the story is the same. The Fiji public wants to see medals, not personal best. The same goes to other sports that have been going to the Commonwealth and Olympics without success in the past 40 years.
The idea put forward to go rural or go island maybe could be the solution to Fiji Swimming lack of success over the years. Blaming lack of funding is like a storm in a tea cup, which can be easily managed if officials have the will to do it.
The Island Zone Rugby Competition during the time of Joeli Veitayaki as alluded by Yaconisau was a self-financed initiative by island teams to be in Suva when the Methodists have their annual Bose ko Viti, and in culmination with the Hibiscus Festival. Island teams fundraised year in and year out to come to Suva and play in the Island Zone. The trip to Suva every August is to fulfil three important wish lists. Play rugby in the Island Zone, ride ferries wheels and sing at the Bose ko Viti and top of all is to eat as many barbecues as you can. The success story of Joeli Veitayaki of Matuku, Ilaitia Vai and Isimeli Cerelala of Natewa, Epineri Naituku of Wainibuka, Emosi Tatawaqa and Tevita Tukania of Labasa, Kaiava Salusalu and Tevita Rauga of Yasawa, Isikeli Cagilaba of Ba, the Kenatale brothers of Vatukoula (originally from Lomainasau, Tokatoka, Tailevu), Lagamu Telawa of Tavualevu Village and Suka Waqabaca of Vanubalavu should be relayed to young people today in any sports. They were all rural and island based players who make it big in the international rugby arena.
You may add the name of Taione Batina of Lau in the famous cricket match Fiji played against England at the old Albert Park about 30 years ago. The then 19-year-old Batina bowled the great England captain Ian Botham, a feat many world cricketers couldn’t do to this great Englishman.
Batina was plucked out of the island in Lau to join the national cricket side. And that is the sole reason I put forward a suggestion for Fiji swimming to go rural /go island. Maybe this could be a slogan for the future, “Go rural go island” in search for our own Michael Klim or Ian Thorpe or Michael Phelps.
There was nothing in my letter to belittle or degrade current swimmers. When I stated that our swimmers were not good enough, it was not a myth but raw fact witnessed by many Fijians on TV. Our times were just too slow going into the medal play-off.
While the failure of officials in the way they manage sports (shall I say here were more exclusive style of management) in the past 40 years contributed to the current state of some sports in Fiji, the challenge now is for officials to think outside the box and work really hard. One of the key aspect is for sports administrators to make the sport look attractive.
If you are not attractive enough, the public will look elsewhere for an attractive and successful sport. As I write, swimming is confined to Suva, Nadi and Lautoka only. This has been the case since the first SPG in 1963. Around this time, late 60s to early 80s, going to the pool was a luxury thing.
Only those that can afford go to the pool with its fancy attire. So it was like a privilege to use a pool, something this author and his peers couldn’t afford to while growing up in Nailuva Rd, Suva in the mid 70s to the late 80s. As the well-off children go to Olympic Pool on Saturday afternoon, our group would go to a spot called Ramjani diving off from the tallest dogo tree.
Those kids that were raised in Raiwai, Raiwaqa, Tutaleva and Kaunikuila areas will know Ramjani (the spot now called Carptrac and Garden City in Raiwai) alongside the Vatuwaqa River. Luckily for us, SCC made the Raiwai swimming pool and no more going to Ramjani as the cover charge was 5 cents, compared with Olympic Pool of 50 cents.
Raiwai Swimming Pool back then was a scene like Bondi Beach, crowded, back to back with no space to spread your legs and hands. Feel sorry for those kids who couldn’t find a 5 cents coin as they can only watch from outside the gate or invite another friend or two to go to Ramjani.
Moving forward, though the swimming infrastructure could be a setback to Fiji Swimming, ocean swim is a best alternative to get people into swimming. Do it at Laucala Bay across the Old Hangar site or in front of Suva Handicraft Centre on a busy Saturday. Get the crowd behind the events. Lami Bay of Islands (Draunibota) is another ideal place.
The Bilibili Race in Sigatoka Town has become a major event in the Tourism Calendar for the past 30 years. What Fiji Swimming could do is to ride on the waves created by the organiser of Bilibili and ask them to include some river swimming competition too. Similar events can be organized in Savusavu from Waitui Marina Shed to Nawi Island and back.
I know there are some secondary schools in the Central Division that have the luxury of owning a swimming pool and this include Adi Cakobau School, Suva Grammar and St Joseph’s Secondary. Get behind some secondary school committee and organise weekly competition among these schools.
Do this when our temperature is high around end of Term Three going into Term One of the new year, before the cold weather settles in. With the amount of drowning happening in Fiji, Fiji Swimming should capture the moment and turn this national weakness to become its strength. Work with Fiji Red Cross and get some organisation going in reducing the number of drowning in Fiji.
In doing so, Fiji swimming can identify a pool of talents, both from the rural and urban, to work on for future regional and international games. This is what I meant to enlarge your territory and to think outside the box is to come out of your comfort zone and challenge the status quo.
I hope the above comments could assist and I also hope Fiji Swimming officials could work extra hard to make swimming a popular and winning sport in Fiji. God bless our current and future swimmers.
