Olympian Waisake Tewa has set his targets for the upcoming Pacific Mini Games in Palau.
The 22-year-old is part of Athletics Fiji final 32 member-team to the Mini Games.
Tewa has experienced competition at major meets, having recently competed at the 2023 Pacific Games, 2024 Oceania Championship and the Olympic Games in Paris, France to name a few.
After taking a break from the sport to try out rugby, Tewa finds himself back on the tracks for another shot at national duties.
This time, the Vanua Levu speedster is clear on what he wants to achieve in what could be his last stint for Team Fiji in athletics.
“My target is to improve my time, get a medal in the individual event because Fiji normally gets medals in the 4x400m and 4x 100m, but I want to change that. So, I am aiming for a personal best and a medal,” he said.
While training has been tracking well, Tewa’s only competition comes from high school athletes who competed at this year’s Fiji Finals.
“My competitors right now are the sprinters from the Fiji Finals. I don’t have any other competitor right now in Fiji but if we were to have faster competitors then we must look to Australia and New Zealand. Otherwise, right now I’m just competing against the younger athletes and others in the squad,” he said.
Following the conclusion of the Olympic Games last year, Tewa revealed that he would be venturing into sevens rugby.
While he thought he could play both sports, his coach Bola Tafou had other ideas.
“I’ve only started my athletics training a few months back, my coach asked me to attend the trials, and I qualified so I’ve put rugby on a pause and just focusing on the Pacific Mini Games now.
“I’m part of the Dominion Brothers rugby team. I was part of the team during the Marist 7s, but I couldn’t play because my coach, Bola Tafou, was here and he made sure that I didn’t enter the field as I was preparing myself for the Mini Games around that time,” the Vanua Levu speedster added.
Tewa who currently studies at the Fiji National University plans to continue with rugby after the Pacific Mini Games.
The Mini Games is scheduled from June 29 to July 9, 2025, in Koror, Palau.
