Fiji " Confident " Of Pacific Games Success
pp. 59-61 · Read in the full issue
Pacific Games Success
Prom a Suva Correspondent F'iji will scoop the pool in the :k and field events at the >3 South Pacific Games at 'a, according to Mr. W. P.
yg, president of the Fiji
lateur Athletic Association, only one event does he see
ous opposition—in the high
ip.
E expects a young New Guinea athlete who has been topping . 4 in. regularly to beat the best can offer, unless Fiji’s best high per, Jo Tokona, regains his form, here is good reason for Mr. g’s confidence, for he spoke just r trials held at Suva to select a i to go to the Commonwealth les at Perth. he three men chosen have all Olympic and/or Commonwealth nes experience, and experience in ir countries. In the order chosen i size of the team depends on finance available), they are r eni Moceidreke, the Rev. Viliame i and Mesulame Rakuro. itiveni, an oil worker at Nadi >ort, went to Rome to run in the and 200 metres at the 1960 upics. In the first heat of the metres he finished third and lified for the next round, where met some of the best sprinters he world, finishing seventh, itiveni was only a novice when he Fiji—he had never run on lers, yet he did well against the Id’s best. In his heat in the 200 res he finished fourth. Now two s older, and by the time the th Pacific Games come along, i further experience at Perth, he be the man to beat in the 1963 nts. he Rev. Viliame Liga, an Assist- Probation Officer, while studying the ministry in Queensland, gained d experience in his specialty, the Jin. He did so well that he was sen to represent Fiji at the Com iwealth Games at Cardiff in 1958. re he finished fourth, and in such Banner that he gave promise of er things to come. -ike Sitiveni, he will have had the th experience under his belt by
the time the 1963 Games come along.
Youthful veteran discus thrower, schoolteacher Mesulame Rakuro could be the most travelled Commonwealth Games athlete still in active com petition. Commonwealth Games at Vancouver (1954) and Cardiff (1958) and Olympic Games at Melbourne (1956) and Rome (1960), have given him all the aplomb of the seasoned athlete.
His experience does not end there, for he went to Malaya in 1957 for the Merdeka Games, and has made several trips to New Zealand. Where, the critic may ask, is there anyone in the South Pacific to match him?
The fourth Fijian chosen for the Perth Games is a young Vatukoula housegirl, Maca, aged 23. She is a fine sprinter with a devastating burst close to the tape. So far she has not met overseas competition, but Perth should help that.
Those four, at this stage, look like being the stars of the 1963 team.
The Suva trials revealed a wealth of talent. For example, a senior schoolboy, Inoke, from Ratu Kad avulevu School, showed that he will soon be a serious challenger to Siti veni in the sprint events. In addi tion, Leslie Chang, a Chinese boy.
a fine sprinter, and toured New aland in 1959 with a Fiji team.
For the last season or so, how *r, he has been concentrating on gby, but he is expected to return athletics for the Games. Another inter who could do well is Sireli, 0 has shown up in club com itions.
'n the 440 yards there is a Fijian ned Jo, and for the mile Jona soqaqa looks a certainty to resent. n the marathon there is nothing ch in sight at the moment. The t is a young Indian named mkar, but he has not taken part a couple of years. But he could induced to take up running again the 1963 Games, and if he is liable Fiji may have a worthy re sentative in the long-distance nts. n the high jump Jo Tokona, who resented Fiji at the 1957 Merdeka mes and the 1958 Commonwealth mes, will be the first choice.
Suva Girls )ne of Fiji’s outstanding athletes, nasi Naidole prefers Rugby and Let. He has represented Fiji ;ral times on the Rugby field, and ped in 1961 in New Zealand when was on an army course, lut he is a good sprinter, and client in the hop, step and jump. :ou!d be when the Games come ag that he will feel the urge to 1 full rein to his natural talents, train hard to make the athletic n. n the women’s events, both track field, there are two excellent a girls, Turukawa (field events) Anna Ramacake, who is a fine nter, although not quite up to ca’s class. Turukawa and Rama e have dominated the Suva nen’s athletics for several seasons, lut there are now several promis young women showing an interest, Turukawa and Ramacake will e to face strong competition next r to gain the team for the first th Pacific Games.