DEFENDING boys champions Marist Brothers High School are heading into the Coca-Cola Games as underdogs, with head coach Antonio Raboiliku admitting this year’s challenge is unlike anything the school has faced before.
With several of their top athletes and gold medallists having moved on to other schools, Marist will line up in this year’s Fiji Finals significantly reshaped and outside the top favourites for the first time in recent years.
“For us, it’s been an interesting journey and at the same time a great one,” Raboiliku said.
“It’s the first time we are not top ranked. When you look at the rankings, we are sitting fourth.”
He acknowledged the departure of key athletes has had a major impact on the team’s depth and expectations heading into the three-day competition.
“Most of the athletes have left, especially our top gold medallists. That itself is a setback for us. But come the next three days, our objective is to give it our best shot.”
But despite this, Raboiliku said the team is embracing the underdog tag and focusing on performance rather than prediction.
“There is no secret. It’s about giving their best, and their best is enough for us,” he said.
“We keep reminding them that the red vest they wear is a champion’s vest, and whatever we have to do, we step up and take the challenge.”
This year also marks a structural change for the athletics program, now run under the newly established Marist Brothers Athletics Club, supported by school leadership, parents, and the wider Marist Old Boys network.
“The support has been enormous — from the school, the head of school, staff, parents, and of course the Marist Old Boys, who are the backbone,” he said.
He said while expectations remain high, the focus was on discipline, execution, and adapting to the pressure of being defending champions under a new-look squad.
Marist will also be relying on smart race strategies and consistency across events as they attempt to defend their crown against a stronger and more evenly matched field this year.
