THEY came to Suva as young athletes, but seven pupils from Navunikabi Primary School have already made their mark at the inaugural National Primary Schools Badminton Tournament.
The Namosi youngsters won all their pool matches on Monday, the opening day of the three-day tournament at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva, and have progressed to the quarterfinals today.
Their success comes after a quick transition from athletics to badminton.
The pupils had originally been preparing for athletics, competing in their school’s inter-house competition before turning their attention to badminton.
Just a month later, they are competing at national level and have already secured a place in the knockout stages.
For principal Dan Kalouca, however, the results are only part of what the children are gaining from the experience.
“Experience in badminton,” Kalouca said when asked what he hoped the pupils would gain from the tournament.
The pupils had been training for about a month after their inter-house competition, with Kalouca saying the boys had embraced the challenge.
“They’ve been training for the past month and the boys are enjoying themselves,” he said.
Their unbeaten start on Monday has given the young side confidence heading into the knockout stages, but the tournament has also exposed them to a sporting environment beyond their usual surroundings.
For a school from Namosi, the trip to Suva has provided the pupils with an opportunity to compete against other primary schools while developing their understanding of a sport they are still relatively new to.
The school was also hoping to take the children to the Hibiscus Festival during their visit to Suva, giving them an opportunity to experience more of the capital outside the competition.
Navunikabi’s campaign is a reminder of how quickly young athletes can adapt when given an opportunity.
From preparing for athletics to taking up badminton and winning every pool match on their first day, the seven pupils have made an impressive start to their national campaign.
Today, however, brings a bigger challenge.
Navunikabi will be looking to win its quarterfinal and keep its unbeaten run alive, with a place in the semifinals and potentially the final later today at stake.
For seven pupils from Navunikabi Primary School, what began as a month-long shift from athletics to badminton could now take them all the way to the final on their first national stage.
