Veteran Fijian bowler Litia Tikoisuva aims to win a medal at the coming Commonwealth Games in England after falling short since her debut at the 1998 games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Her best finish is reaching the quarter-finals at the Commonwealth Games twice.
The 59-year-old is classed as the ‘Golden Lady’ of the sport having won numerous medals in her career with the best being the gold medal at the 2005 Asia Pacific Bowls Championship in Melbourne, Australia.
She teamed up with Radhika Prasad to win the pairs bronze medal at the 1996 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Victoria Park in Royal Leamington Spa, England.
At her peak, Tikoisuva was ranked world No 2. It was one of the best achievements by an individual female athlete in Fiji.
This will be Tikoisuva’s sixth appearance at the Commonwealth Games making her the most experienced athlete in the Team Fiji contingent.
Tikoisuva said the preparations for the 2022 Commonwealth Games had been good in terms of fitness and mental strength. She said the bowling team had been going through skills training daily.
“I have reached the quarter-finals of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and Scotland,” Tikoisuva said. “I will do my utmost best to go further than that.
“I first went to the Commonwealth Games in 1998 when it was held in Malaysia.
“The only one I missed was the one that was held in India when Fiji was banned in 2010.”
Tikoisuva will play in the singles event and will team up with Losalini Tukai in the pairs.
Sheral Mar, Loreta Kotoisuva and Prasad will play in the triples. Prasad, Tukai, Kotoisuva and Mar will make up the fours team. Tikoisuva said competition would be tough. She said the first thing would be to know the greens at Birmingham which would be fast compared to Fiji.
“It will be very tough considering that the best players from all the countries will be participating,” she said.
“So, if it is your day, then it is going to be your day. The aim is to win a medal.
“We have been missing out on a lot of international tournaments and that is why we haven’t been able to get world ranking points.
“Now that bowls is back on the international stage, we hope to participate in more tournaments.
“I thank the Government for the sporting grant to allow Team Fiji to participate at the Commonwealth Games, also Nike for the sponsorship and the bowling family for all their support.”
The men’s team includes Semesa Naiseruvati, Kushal Pillay, Rajnesh Prasad, Martin Fong and David Aitcheson. Naiseruvati will play in the singles event and team up with Fong, and Aitcheson in the triples.
Pillay and Rajnesh will play in the pairs. Fong, Pillay, Rajnesh and Aitcheson will make up the fours team.
