Overcoming challenges like training on muddy grounds, having a strict meal plan and experiencing body aches and pains has pushed Manueli Tuikuku to be one of the best 800m athletes to come out of Tailevu this year.
The 17-year-old of Tailevu North College won gold in the senior boys 800m race at the Coca-Cola Tailevu Zone Competition, defeating athletes from Queen Victoria School and Ratu Kadavulevu School.
The young lad from Nadaro Village in Vugalei Tailevu with maternal links to Kasavu, Naitaisiri has represented his school in the Coke Games, wining a bronze medal at the Fiji Finals last year.
This year he hopes to secure a gold medal as a senior athlete.
“I would like to dedicate this win to our family back in the village, our coach and teachers,” he said.
“I’m so happy that I’ve qualified again this year for the Cokes as I didn’t expect to win in the finals.”
He said he didn’t think too highly of the other athletes from RKS and QVS as he only saw them as equal competitors while running beside them.
“Now I hope to improve on my start and speed for the Cokes.
“One of the challenges that we face is training on muddy grounds daily. Running on a soggy ground is different from running on a track, so it isn’t easy running on a track after training on muddy grounds everyday.
He said because of training he doesn’t eat as well as he used to.
He, like many athletes who train for a big competition, experiences aches and pains after a training sessions.
“Its overcoming those challenges that I’m able to win at the zone.
On balancing his schoolwork with athletics training, he gets up around 3.30am or at 4am to brush up on his studies and does it after school too.
“My parents and siblings have always been supportive, and I thank them for everything especially for bus fares, my track shoes and pocket money for training sessions every Saturday.”
The Year 12 student also plays rugby – both union and league when his not burning the tracks in athletics.
This year he represented his school in the senior boys 100m, 800m and the 4x100m relay.
