Changing sport was a huge choice for Laisani Moceisawana. The former Fiji secondary schools 100m champion says since making the switch, she has found that in rugby “you teach yourself to be a team player”.
Moceisawana has since then been drafted in the Fijiana 7s squad.
After her father’s death, at the age of 11, the Somosomo flyer said she found running as a way out to forget the memory of losing her role model.
As she grew older, she started to realise the importance of being a team player because “your contribution is valuable” in the final outcome.
“I grew up on Taveuni and seeing my fellow villagers share little things encouraged me to strive to be the best and one day give something back to them,” the 23-year-old said.
“It was a challenging time losing someone you looked up to but life has to go on.
“I take that as a driving force in following my dreams because people around you will make you strong and they will also contribute to something you want to achieve.”
She had been through a rocky road but decided to stay firm and made her mother and other siblings proud.
“The bronze medal achievement from the Fijiana team at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year inspired me to try the sport,” Moceisawana said.
“I have fellow villagers Semi Radradra and Tui Kamikamica who are out there making a name for themselves and I want to be the first woman from Somosomo to dot the pen of success in the oval ball game.”
The engineering and physics student of the Fiji National University said she was challenging herself to make it to the Fijiana team because there were a lot of good players fighting for the positions.
She said she was training herself to become a better winger.
Moceisawana started playing rugby last year for the Lilians Amazon and from there she was drafted into the national training squad.
“I am working on my ball handling, my stepping because that is required in the sport,” she said.
“At the moment all I can do is take the ball and run because I rely on the inside players to create the gap for me.
“I am learning from the senior players which is good.”
She had claimed the gold medal in the 100m race for the senior girls during the Coca-Cola Games in 2017.
