ATHLETES participating in 21 sports will get the opportunity to showcase their talents and competitive spirits during this year’s Fiji Games.
It begins on April 19 at various locations around Suva.
Interested athletes will be competing for medals in archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, billiards and snooker, boxing, darts, golf, karate, para-sports, powerlifting, sailing, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, tae kwon do, volleyball and weightlifting.
It is anticipated that athletes will be representing their districts of birth or residence over 24 districts that include Korovou, Nausori, Suva, Lami, Nasinu, Vunidawa, Navua, Labasa, Savusavu, Seaqaqa, Taveuni, Saqani, Wainikoro, Lautoka, Yasawa, Ba, Tavua, Nadarivatu, Rakirakri, Nadi, Nadroga, Navosa, Levuka and Rotuma.
FASANOC chief executive officer Lorraine Mar said there were several objectives behind the staging of the Fiji Games.
“The Fiji Games provide an opportunity for competition for national federations and allow them to identify talent, and train technical officials,” Mar said.
Several sports will be using the Fiji Games as a final trial for aspiring athletes hoping to represent Fiji at the 2019 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa in July.
Mar said the Fiji Games would allow national selectors ffrom various sports to select athletes for forthcoming events such as the Pacific Games and regional and international competitions.
“The Fiji Games also gives technical officials an opportunity to upgrade or establish recognised qualifications.
“It is also an opportunity to strengthen the sports administration network in the country.”
Mar said the Fiji Games would provide sports and districts the opportunity to train their officials in team management, coaching and administration of sports. During the Fiji Games in 2017, Suva dominated by winning 30 gold medals with their closest rivals being Levuka which won 10 gold.
The concept known as Fiji Games was mooted in the early 1980s by former FASANOC president and life member, Captain Stan
Brown and Bobby Tikaram. FASANOC resurrected the idea in 1993 and organised the inaugural Fiji Games in August 1994.
Since then the games have been held annually until 2008, for economical reasons and because of a busy calendar of sporting events in 2008.
The idea of hosting the Fiji Games after every two years was proposed at the 2009 FASANOC annual general meeting.
More than 300 Fiji Games gold medals will be up for grabs during the games.
