Fijians Set For Seoul

Gabriel Singh looks at Fiji’s Olympic hopefuls.

FIJI ATTENDS the 24th Summer Olympiad in Seoul, South Korea for the sheer experience of it.

There are no glittering medal prospects among the 35 men and women likely to travel halfway across the world for the Sep tember 17 to October 2 Games. At the of ficial closing of entries, Fiji had indicated the young Republic would be represented by 48 competitors; but actual athletes will be 35 and possibly fewer, Dr Robin Mitch ell, Olympic team doctor and Fiji Ama teur Sports Association (the national ruling body of all amateur codes) secretary said.

Dr Mitchell and airline executive Vidha Lakhan, who will be Fiji’s Head of Dele gation, were part of Fiji’s debut at the 1988 15th Winter Olympics in Calgary, Can ada, where Norway-based electrical engi neering student Rusiate Roqoyawa competed in the 15-kilometre cross-coun try skiing event. He finished 82nd out of a field of 92 starters, having broken one of his skis at the four-kilometre mark, but was delighted at not having finished last.

It’s the same spirit that drives his com pariots to the Summer Games in a strange and exciting land.

Lakhan and Dr Mitchell have been raising funds to get Fiji to the Games: their efforts have resulted in costs to the indi vidual athlete being halved. (Accommo dation and travel to Seoul for 20 days works out at $F3400 per athlete.) Fiji’s best medal hopes lies with boxing and yachting. The Fiji Amateur Boxing Federation will make a return to Olympic participation for the first time since the 1956 Melbourne Games, and its entrants are considered medal hopes simply be cause of the nature of the sport. “You never can tell: a lot depends on the draws,” Dr Mitchell said in Suva.

Fiji’s last major triumph at an inter national meet was a boxing gold at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, where Tongan Sani Fine knocked out a Ugandan to take the light heavyweight gold medal. Fine was later refused Fijian citi zenship despite marrying a Rotuman and returned to Tonga.

Yachting, considered by many in Fiji as an elitist sport, could also cause su prises. Local stalwarts Tony Philp, his son Tony Jnr and David Ashby all competed at the Los Angles Games. Ashby, naval ar chitect Colin Dunlop and Tony Philp sen ior are the trio for the three-man Soling event, and Philp junior is also regarded as a medal hope in the sailboarding events.

Athletics will feature two of Fiji’s great est all-time competitors. American-trained decathlete Albert Miller, who set a new South Pacific Games record to grab gold in Noumea last December, is the Fiji Amateur Athletics Federation’s fulltime coach. Veteran 400-metre specialist Joe Rodan is also a sure to compete in Korea.

A 12-member squad with only two women, javelin specialist Mereoni Vibose and sprinter Sainiana Tukana, will be trimmed to eight athletes for the Games.

Fiji’s hopes could also lie in the middle distance events, with six squad members in the 1500-metre to marathon events.

Fiji has four athletes sprinter Inoke Bainimoli, Miriama Chambault (who opted for New Caledonian citizenship just before last December’s SPG) Rodan and Miller—who all finished well back in their events in Los Angeles, but the experience led Miller to return home and establish a new South Pacific decathlon record.

On the down side, lack of competition is stunting the progress of swimming.

Sharon Pickering (the only member of the Olympic squad to have competed at the Los Angeles Games) took Fiji by storm by returning home from Noumea with two gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Her fellow Fijian swimmers are Cina Munch, Tracey Powell, Angela Birch, Ja son Chute and Craig Pratt.

Swimming is on the upsurge following the success of Fiji’s SPG outing and heart ening performances at the January 1988 Auckland Age Group championships. This annual event is used as a building ground for upcoming Fiji swimmers, most of whom go on to SPG glory. But the time does not quite seem set for Fiji to make a mark at the prestigous Olympic level.

Similarily, Fiji’s judo team is hoping for experience that will give it dominance in regional events at home. Black belts Vi liame Takayawa, Simione Kuruvoli and Joe Wainiqolo all medallists at the 1987 SPG are in the team to Seoul, and all three have a wealth of tournament expe rience. Kuruvoli is Fiji’s best bet to prog ress in the tournament.

Likewise, Fijian cycling’s finely trained core of enthusiasts knows better than to dream of medals. Instead hard, unrelent ing training must ensure that even when beaten, Fiji will go out gallantly.

That is the Olympic flame that burns in the hearts of Fiji athletes: to leave be hind the political traumas of home for one fling at international fame and fortune. □