FIJI Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mereoni Vibose was laid to rest at her village in Raiwaqa, Nadroga yesterday.
Vibose, who represented the nation in discus and javelin in six South Pacific Games, two Commonwealth Games and two World Athletics Championships passed away at the Sigatoka hospital last Saturday after a short illness.
Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) chief executive officer Lorraine Mar, former national long-distance athlete and paddling rep Salome Tabuatalei and former national long jump and sprints rep and former national netball coach Gabrieli Qoro attended the funeral at the Raiwaqa Village Methodist Church.
Vibose, first represented Fiji at the 1969 South Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea, and her athletics career span more than two decades retiring in 1991.
In her eulogy Mar said in 1998 FASANOC recognised Vibose’s achievements in sports in by inducting her into the Fiji Sports Hall of Fame.
Mar said was not an easy thing to get into the Fiji Sports Hall of Fames as one needed to set records for more than 15 years.
“At her of induction she still held two national records in javelin and in discus,” Mar said.
“Though having retired she remained active and surprised us in 2016 telling us that she would be participating in the World Masters Championship and asked that if she could get a track suit to wear at the event.
“We were honoured to give her the track suit. She was a very humble and dedicated to her sport.”
Her discus record of 47.76 metres set in 1983 still stands today.
