WHEN the invitation arrived from the Organising Committee of the Tahiti 2027 Pacific Games, the team at Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) knew immediately that this was more than a filming exercise.
It was a chance to show the world what Fiji is made of, not just in sport, but in spirit, culture and the deep pride that comes with being a Pacific nation.
The Pacific Digital Relay, organised by Tahiti was inspired by the spirit of the Olympic Games and designed to unite all 24 participating nations ahead of the 18th Pacific Games.
Each country was invited to produce a 30-minute video segment showcasing their athletes, their cultural identity and their iconic landmarks — all connected by the symbolic passing of a baton bearing the official Pacific Digital Relay sticker.
With the Pacific Games being a little over a year away and Tahiti preparing to welcome nearly 4500 athletes from across the region, this was Fiji’s first opportunity to officially partake in the build-up to the Games.
Filming took place across several locations in and around Suva and the Arts Village at Pacific Harbour. The relay opened at the Suva Sailing Centre, where the baton was taken out onto Suva Harbour aboard a V1 canoe by Iris Bentley Fisher, a fitting start, the ocean doing what it always does in the Pacific, connecting rather than dividing.
Iris brought the baton ashore and passed it to triathlete Christian Rokoua, who carried it through the streets of Nasese before handing it to Taniela Rainibogi, the reigning Pacific Games Weightlifting champion, who received it at the bar and completed his lift with the baton in hand.
From the weights room, the relay moved to the football pitch, where Women’s Football players Adi Litia Bakaniceva and Filo Racea took possession.
They passed it on to basketballers Estelle Kainamoli, Ranadi Koroi and Moana Liebregts, gold medallists from the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games and the first Fijian sport to qualify for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Basketball handed the baton to tae kwon do athlete Ayush Chand, who brought Fiji’s leg of the relay to a close.
The full video was released on April 6, 2026, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013, the day recognises the power of sport to advance peace, equality, and sustainable development worldwide.
It was a deliberate and meaningful choice of date for the relay’s broadcast.
Pacific nations, each telling their own story, united by a single baton and a shared belief that sport is a force for good.
Fiji appears in the relay at 1:05:30. You can watch the full broadcast here: https://www.youtube.com/live/pdRNZmoDgbs
