FOR a country where rugby is deeply woven into its identity, Fiji has now opened the doors of the sport to an entirely new community after wheelchair rugby was officially launched at the French Residence in Suva on Tuesday night.
The historic occasion marked Fiji as the first Pacific Island nation to formally establish wheelchair rugby at a national level under the umbrella of the Fiji Rugby Union, a milestone driven by the passion and determination of 23-year-old Fiji National University student Makarita Nakavulevu.
She is also the first head coach of the sport.
What began as a simple idea during her time in France two years ago has now transformed into a movement aimed at creating opportunities for people living with disabilities to experience the same love for rugby shared across Fiji.
Nakavulevu, who joined the France Volunteers programme while studying sport science, was first introduced to wheelchair rugby overseas.
Although unsure about the sport at first, it did not take long for her to recognise its impact and potential back home.
“I remember telling my French wheelchair rugby team, ‘Rugby is the heart of Fiji, why don’t we have this sport at home?’,” she recalled.
Nakavulevu said the project carries even more meaning because it was the responsibility given to her after completing the France Volunteers programme.
She was among four pioneering Fijians sent to France for education and cultural exchange, with each participant expected to return home and develop a project that could positively impact communities in Fiji.
For the 23-year-old FNU student specialising in strength and conditioning coaching, wheelchair rugby became a mission after she was exposed to the sport while broadening her knowledge in rugby development overseas.
She said the immediate goal is not only build a national team, but to introduce the sport to as many communities as possible and create an environment where everyone feels welcome.
“It’s a sport for everyone, even able-bodied people can come try it out,” she said.
“Right now, our main focus is outreach and getting players involved.”
Standing proudly at the French Residence during the official launch on Tuesday, Nakavulevu was introduced as Fiji’s first wheelchair rugby head coach, bringing to life a vision she had worked tirelessly on for the past two years.
“I remember it was exactly at this same residence, nine months ago, when I mentioned that I wanted to make it my project to introduce wheelchair rugby as a sport in Fiji,” she said.
“What started as just a thought became something real after many meetings, support from the French Embassy and a committed team behind the scenes.”
The road to achieving that dream was far from easy.
Balancing university studies while pursuing her mission in France became one of the biggest challenges for the young coach, but support from the French Embassy helped accelerate plans sooner than expected.
“There were so many challenges. I had to juggle my education and my mission while I was in France. We did not expect the launch to happen this soon, maybe next year, but with the support of the French Embassy we managed to do it earlier.”
Now that wheelchair rugby has officially taken form, Nakavulevu said the focus now shifted towards building awareness and encouraging participation throughout the country.
The newly appointed interim committee has already begun conducting outreach programmes nationwide, inviting both people living with disabilities and able-bodied individuals to experience the sport.
“Wheelchair rugby is a sport for everyone. We are officially inviting all disabled persons to come and try out the sport. It’s fun, inclusive and the team will be mixed with both men and women,” she said.
At her young age, Nakavulevu is now carrying the responsibility of growing the sport in Fiji, with hopes of eventually forming a competitive national team.
Plans are already in motion for Fiji’s first international competition, which could see a team from New Caledonia visit in November in what will be another major step in what is shaping up to be a groundbreaking journey for wheelchair rugby in the Pacific.
Fiji’s first head coach for wheelchair rugby, Makarita Nakavulevu. Picture: ALANA ELBOURNE
