Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School (MGM) created history over the weekend after being crowned the 2024 Coca-Cola Games winner in the girl’s division.
This division was usually contested by big names such as Adi Cakobau School (ACS), Jasper Williams High School (JWHS), Suva Grammar School (SGS), Natabua High School (NHS), and Saint Joseph’s Secondary School (SJSS).
Spectators, and students know that competition would be tight and that irrespective of what the day one medal tally says, it’s the last three or four events on the third day that would confirm which school would walk away with the crown.
That changed this year when MGM led from day one.
Tougher competition in the girl’s division from schools such as Ratu Sukuna Memorial School (RSMS), Bucalevu Secondary School, and others, saw schools like ACS, who has won the title 18 times, missing from the top four on the official medal tally at the end of Day One.
But MGM remained consistent. In fact, after Day One they had acquired five gold medals, followed by RSMS with three and SGS and SJSS with two gold medals each.
Day Two proved no different as MGM clung to their spot at the top of the table in the girl’s division with their 17 medals. SGS was second now, equalling MGM with their gold medals, but MGM’s six silver and six bronze medals was hard to contend with.
On the final day, the MGM girls made their final statement and cemented themselves in history with their 31 medals, 14 of which were gold.
Social media was rife with comments and unsolicited opinions on how a school that only appeared on the athletic spotlight three years ago was able to pull off a stunt as such, upsetting the traditional contenders for the girl’s division.
The Fiji Times caught up with MGM board chairman Jitesh Patel who explained about the vision that started four years ago.
Foresights, planning and implementation
“I was the vice president of the board at that time, and I spoke to the vice principal of the school (at that time), Rajeshwar Prasad. He approached me and told me that he has a vision for MGM,” Patel said.
“He is a very experienced PEMAC (physical education, music, art, and crafts) personality, vice principal of the school, and he told me that he saw that we could do something about the gap at MGM.
“Like we were doing well in everything, we were doing well in soccer, we were doing well with the academic aspects so why don’t we bring another dimension? And he discussed with me that not all children have the ability in academic, so we need to take a holistic approach.
“I’ve also had this mindset because I was the school manager for Nehru Primary School for 15 years and that we should give everyone a chance so that no one was left behind.”
He said seeing Prasad was on the same page as him and motivated him, so he approached Royals Athletics Club coach Antonio Raboiliku, who was a good friend.
He also made a presentation to the board of directors and asked for their support in bringing that vision to life “and the board came on board”.
“There’s not much money that the board uses. It is through sponsorships, through private donors, but I want to make one thing clear. No athlete, until today, has been given any cash to come in and run for MGM.
“We give a sports scholarship in a way where we support them in their studies. We give them uniforms, books, stationery, shoes, and everything when they come. But the main thing is a support that we pay for their coaching through Royals Club.
“So, they receive professional coaching and that’s how this has been developing.”
Patel said that ever since the wheels began to turn four years ago, MGM started working on building their presence and exposure in Fiji’s secondary schools athletics arena.
He said it first started with former ACS sprinter Kesaia Boletakanakadavu who joined them in 2022 and made history for MGM with her teammate Waisake Inoke when they won both the senior girls and boys 100m finals.
Boletakanakadavu defended her title in 2023 and won, and is currently pursuing further studies in Brisbane, Australia.
“We kept climbing the ladder. When people say it’s a surprise, I don’t think it should be a surprise that MGM has taken it this year.
“If you go back, if you have been following this, it was building up and this is a fruit of that hard work done, not only by the coaches, but the schoolteachers too who are our support system.
“Academically too, we have to make sure that they do well. So, they spend time with them, make sure they’re studying hard, put extra hours, extra classes, and all those things. So, it’s a teamwork.”
Patel said the students too knew they would benefit when coming to MGM because of the support and care that was to be provided to them.
“I’m not saying that the other schools don’t do this. No, they do this as well. Academically, a lot of people just talk about MGM, but I know ACS academicallyare quite good as well as I’ve seen their percentage marks, and they are there as well.
“It just said that the choice that the athletes make, and the families make, and at the end of the day that’s it.”
Offering scholarships
Patel said poaching was not the appropriate word to use when students were not paid cash.
“Poaching is not correct, I would say. Poaching means you pay people and steal them and that’s not it. It’s their choice at the end of the day,” Mr Patel said.
“I know a lot of athletes have been approached, even during this year’s Games. Our athletes were approached during the Games this year. The child came back and told the coaches that somebody approached them.
“It’s no use complaining about it. It’s not poaching. It is like, if I come and give someone an offer that’s better and the person decides to take it. So, the word poaching needs to be clarified.”
Patel said this method of attracting students was not a new thing as it was practiced by schools years back.
“From the 1980s when I was in high school and then after that, I’ve been following the Coca-Cola Games. It’s not like I just came into it four or five years ago.
“I’ve been following it for 15 to 20 years and I know what’s happening and how things work out.”
Patel said that at the end of the day it was the parents and students who decide for themselves where they would like to go for better education and opportunities.
Future plans
Patel said they were focusing on this year’s Dean’s competition.
“We have started a program now that we have an U18 team and this year we’ll have an U14 rugby team as well.
“We will be coming up in other grades as well, we’ll have teams for the Raluve Championship and then we have soccer coming up.
“Also, for the first time we have some swimmers taking part in the swimming competition. Even netball we will be competing again this year, as we had competed last year. We’re giving every sport a chance to perform in.”
Patel said academically, MGM would continue to work in maintaining it’s reputation in the academic arena in competitions as such as IQ Active, the Fiji Year 12th Examination, Fiji Year 13 Examination and other national academic competitions.
