Fiji’s young Tae kwon do star Lolohea Fouana Navuga Naitasi has won another gold medal, this time at the at the prestigious Park Chung-hee Cup International Taekwondo Championship in Korea.
Her coach, Sanghyun Ra, who is based in Fiji, says her win is something to be proud of but also carries a note of disappointment.
“I am proud of her at the news of her gold medal winning from Korea,” Ra said.
“However, there is regret that she could not participate in a larger international competition due to interference from the Fiji Taekwondo Association.”
Ra is a dispatched expert from the World Taekwondo Headquarters (Kukkiwon) and has served Fiji Taekwondo and the development of the sport across the South Pacific for 15 years.
He also coached Fiji’s athletes at the 2024 Para Olympics.
Now based in Suva, he teaches at the Fiji Police, public schools and eight taekwondo clubs and also coaches para taekwondo athletes.
“I didn’t expect her to win a gold medal even though it was a small international competition. The Korean taekwondo athletes she faced had a high level of skills,” Ra said.
Lolohea is currently in Korea for a three-month program and was a scholarship student in the school’s Taekwondo class at Suva Grammar School.
“She is a smart and diligent athlete. Although she is still young, she will grow up a lot in Korea and come back.”
Ra says his work with young athletes like Lolohea is not just about medals but long-term goals.
“Finally, I will always do my best behind her, para-athletes, and the goals of another of our athletes preparing for the Olympics.”
This latest win adds to Lolohea’s growing reputation in the sport and marks another milestone for Fiji’s presence on the international taekwondo stage.
