LAVENIA Tinai has established herself in the sport of rugby as part of Team Fijiana, however it was not all fun and games for the now 25-year-old Wailotua, Wainibuka native whose parents did not like the idea of her taking up the sport in the first place.
“I used to step class to go play touch with the boys which was when my father caught me one day,” she said.
“I was still playing touch when my father saw me and told me off for skipping class and wasting my time playing rugby.”
The one time Sports Science student at what is now the Fiji National University said she would easily get bored in class which was when she would go out to play touch.
“I was in the same class as Benedito Masilevu and we used to play touch together,” Lavenia said.
“It was during one of those touch sessions when Elenoa Kunatuba, who was the coach then of the Marist Seahawks and Fijiana invited me to play rugby.”
The confident young woman said she had a good grasp of the skills required to play rugby but lacked the fitness.
Lavenia contributed most of her success as a rugby player to Elenoa who pushed her to be the best in the position.
At 17-years-old, Lavenia was the youngest ever to don the white jersey in what was a qualifier for the 7s world cup in Lautoka.
“We lost out because both Australia and New Zealand were participating but then we managed to go to India for the repechage to try and qualify which we accomplished.”
Lavenia said her focus was now on making the final squad to the Rio Olympics.
“And now with the support of my parents and brother I know that is a possibility,” she said.
Despite her earlier years stepping school, Lavenia encouraged athletes to balance their education and extra curriculum activities.
