The Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) celebrated Olympic Day with vibrant events held on Saturday, June 22, at Albert Park in Suva and CAAF grounds in Nadi. The celebrations drew an impressive crowd, with 500 participants in Suva and 100 in Nadi.
The day kicked off with a high-energy boot camp led by members of the Australian Defence Forces, setting an enthusiastic tone for the festivities. Following the boot camp, a sport-a-thon allowed attendees to explore and try out a variety of sports showcased by national federations (NFs). Sports on display included archery, athletics, baseball, badminton, chess, football, gymnastics, hockey, karate, netball, Para sports, shooting, table tennis, tae kwon do, volleyball, and traditional games hosted by Sport Matters and the University of the South Pacific (USP) staff and research students.
Joining FASANOC also was the French Embassy which had on display the Paris 2024 mascots, and Phryges for members of the public to interact with.
In Suva, the Olympic Day message was delivered by Rio 2016 Olympian and rugby 7s gold medallist, Osea Kolinisau, who is also the current coach of the Fiji men’s 7s team to the Paris Olympic Games. In Nadi, the message was conveyed by Tony Moore, an Olympian and Fiji Hall of Fame inductee, who represented Fiji in athletics at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.
Lyndall Fisher, sports development manager at FASANOC, expressed her delight with the turnout, highlighting the participation of both young and old. She extended her gratitude to all the national federations for their involvement and to the Australian Defence Forces for energising the crowd with their boot camp session.
The event was aligned with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) “Let’s move” campaign; a global initiative inspired by the Olympic Games. The campaign aims to mobilise the world to incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity into their daily routines, starting with Olympic Day and continuing beyond. Research underscores the importance of this initiative, revealing that over 80 per cent of young people fail to meet the recommended daily activity levels necessary for optimal mental and physical health.
The 2024 Olympic Day celebration was designed to be more inclusive and enjoyable, capturing the spirit of joy and excitement as the world looks forward to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
