Time is fast flowing. We are on the verge of drawing curtains to mark the end of August, which shared lessons on perseverance, humility and hard work. These lessons came from the sports field.
The success of our sports personalities left an impression, memories and hope for a beautiful future. I have learned that success is measured not so much by the position one has reached in life, but by the obstacles which one overcame while trying to succeed.
Success is the result of preparation and learning from failure.
Lions roar as ACS reclaims girls title
Suva Grammar and reigning girls champion ACS were all smiles as they finished at the top of the podium in the Coca-Cola Games. The Lions made noise as they regained the boys title from RKS. Suva Grammar won the boys division with 11 gold medals, six silver and six bronze.
QVS settled for second with nine gold, five silver and seven bronze medals, while RKS finished third with six gold, five silver and nine bronze medals. In the girls division, ACS bagged 13 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals.
Suva Grammar finished second with four gold, seven silver and three bronze medals, while Jasper Williams finished third with four gold, and two silver medals and one bronze medal.
The three-day event was hailed the toughest, biggest and best as athletes battled at the Laucala turf after a two-year lapse
. The atmosphere was electrifying. The sea of colours added to the glamour. ACS unveiled the biggest cheering flag, while the pompom girls’ uniforms went a step up.
Fijians witnessed three days of intense rivalry, as athletes shed tears, sweat and emotions.
Records were smashed and the small schools made an impact on the medal tally. Mahatma Gandhi High School wrote a new chapter in the athletics books as they made a clean sweep of the senior boys and girls 100m events.
When the event concluded, there were smiles all around as athletes bid farewell and congratulated each other for their achievements on the battlefield.
Delai’s industrious athletics career
Jone Delai has won accolades as an athlete and as a coach. According to Delai, he ran in high school, but was not interested as Ba then was a soccer crazy town, and he was much into playing soccer and rugby.
Delai attended Ba Methodist High School and finished at Jai Narayan College.
His first experience at the Coca-Cola Games was in 1997 with RKS, as a coach, when the warriors from Lodoni won the games. Delai shared that it was surreal and he got shock by how big the Coca-Cola Games was.
At Suva Grammar as a coach, it was another level from 2007 to 2011 as he won the boys title for five years. He added that it was a tough job to take because Suva Grammar was a big school and there was a need for planning and guidance for the training program, but the team persevered.
Delai represented Fiji for 18 years – five Pacific Games and four Pacific Mini Games, three World Champs and two Olympic Games, winning 16 gold, three silver and three bronze medals. He was the 100m California State Junior College champ in 1998.
In 1995, Delai achieved a qualifying time for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta in the US. He has been part of the national coaching panel, having won a record seven boys title at the Coca-Cola Games.
In 2011, he was declared the best coach in the Pacific and was Fiji’s Sportsman for two years. Delai elaborated on the ‘Grammar Rise Up’ (GRU), which was planned five years back.
He said they planned, and had ups and downs, but after everything, it was good to go back with a victory.
He said that the Lions succeeded through the hard work of the athletes and the support from the parents and old scholars.
Providing an insight into GRU, Delai shared that they had to change their approach to training because the two-year break made students lose interest in athletics.
Hence, he had to make the program, which started in October 2021 with 25 students, enjoyable and funny.
The Lions built up from there to retain their zone titles and the boys title.
The entire Suva Grammar family – from the staff to the administration and ancillary staff, the old scholars in Fiji and abroad, parents and the PEMAC department joined hands to guide the athletes.
Apart from Delai, I was delighted to see prominent faces, cheering for Grammar.
Stanley Simpson set the benchmark. My friends Navitalai Naivalu and Makelesi Qareqare, who teach at Suva Grammar, were jubilant just as were passionate old scholars – Faith Grace, Alipate Tuberi, Tema Jitoko, Kiniviliame Keteca, Vasiti Vugakoto, Selina Kuruleca, Georgina Batisaresare, Shirley Tuisese, Lagilagi Drauna, Hupfi eld Hoerder, Elenoa Waqanibaravi, Master Mika Mudreilagi and Tehillah Shabach.
Inoke flies MGM High’s flag proudly
Blue ribbon gold medallist, Waisale Inoke’s mother, recalled the words that she shared with her son after he won the gold medal, “Wise, this is it. You, finally, made it. You have done it for everybody, especially the family. You have to remember your humble beginning. Give everything back to God.”
Mereia Inoke, who hails from Yavulo Village in Nadroga, was at the stadium.
She was confident that Waisale was going to win the blue ribbon event because he had the fastest time.
She spent some time with her families from Kalabu, who were standing near the railings, and then made her way to the grandstand before the race started. Bang and Wise was off with a clinical start.
When he fisted his hands, she could not contain her emotions. Tears flowed openly as people congratulated her.
In fact, she also found out about some of her long-distance relatives.
Mrs Inoke shared that Wise attended Sigatoka Methodist Primary School and college and two years were a long wait.
He joined MGM High as it was an academic school. Dad Fereti Inoke, who hails from Noatau Village in Rotuma and is famous in Nadro, was part of the Stallions football team in the late 80s and 90s.
He was coaching the Sigatoka Methodist athletes and his emotions were highlighted as he hugged Wise tightly after the 100m battle was won.
He had not seen Wise for a month, but Wise shared his training experiences over the phone.
During his secondary school days, Fereti’s event was the high jump.
He even set records in the Coca-Cola Games and shared that in those days there were no medals and prize money, but a certificate that sealed an athlete’s victory.
He recalled that fateful moment when he was preparing for the Pacific Games, but he got a torn muscle on his shin and Cathy Fong told him that it would take a long
time to recover.
He then shifted to football, and while in secondary school, was roped into Nadroga football alongside the likes of Vijay Singh and William Work.
Once the Stallions were demoted from the super premier to the premier division, he got together with the Natasiwai brothers and few other senior reps to assist the Stallions.
Fereti is occupied with athletics and he has been guiding his son whose preferred events were 400m, long jump and triple jump.
Wise represented Fiji in the Oceania Games in Australia and ran alongside Banuve Tabukaucoro, who is his role model and who inspired him to focus on the 100m event and long jump.
Wise won a bronze medal in long jump, finished fourth in the triple jump and won gold in 4x100m relay.
He was confident of winning the blue ribbon event as his start was good and he had prepared well.
He aims to be part of team Fiji at the Pacific Games. He urged athletes and students to be humble, work hard and listen to their parents.
First timer to Coca-Cola Games wins gold
Waisale Koroi Tagivetaua did QVS proud when he grabbed two gold medals. He hails from Nawaikama in Gau.
His dad, Ilisoni Tagivetaua, is a teacher and his mother, Joana Raqona, works at Pearl Resort. Waisale attended Rampur Primary School.
Coached by Dan Domoni, Ame Tabaiwalu and Keasi Nasiga, Waisale made endless sacrifices, and prepared well.
He knew the competition would be tough and the atmosphere would be intense so he remained focused on the task ahead and did his talking on the track.
The fi rst timer to the games won two gold medals – 800m and 1500m.
He did his parents, coaching staff and QVS family proud with his accomplishments.
Dad Ilisoni shared that in primary school Waisale played rugby and represented Rampur Primary in the Serua Kaji competition and Serua from under 9-14.
He also shared that Waisale gained interest in athletics when he ran in the inter-house competition last year.
From then on, he became serious with athletics and trained hard. He is part of the QVS basketball team.
Ironically, Waisale came third in 800m in the inter-house and in the heats, but came second in 800m in the Tailevu Zone.
Waisale dedicated his gold medals to his paternal grandmother who passed away in February.
Ilisoni paid tribute to the QVS family, the old scholars, Tagivetaua family in Fiji and abroad and Yavusa o Cuku of Nawaikama Village in Gau.
Waisale was awarded best overall junior boys athlete. He got a trophy and $200. Mark the name Waisale Tagivetaua- this lad has many years ahead of him!
- RAJNESH LINGAM is a regular contributor to The Fiji Times. The views expressed are the author’s and do not reflect the views of this newspaper.
