Fiji Sun

Natabua High to repeat 2015 feat

- LITIA TIKOMAILEP­ANONI Edited by Leone Cabenatabu­a litia.tikomailep­anoni@fijisun.com.fj

Former Coca-Cola Games boy’s champions Natabua High School are gearing up to defy all odds at this year’s event.

The NHS athletics squad were farewelled by the school, parents and former students as they left for Suva yesterday.

The school is aiming to dominate the field events and rake in the much-needed medals to repeat the 2015 feat.

NHS athletics squad manager Rusiate Wadali said our aim is also the same as every other school and that is to topple the champions.

“We are there to challenge all the trophies once again, as we have tasted what it’s like to win. We did it in 2015 and we know how it feels to be a champion and we want to repeat that.” Wadali said the new synthetic tracks at Churchill Park in Lautoka, has given them a lot of confidence.

“We’ve prepared so well this year. We did our off season training and we are fortunate that the Lautoka City Council allowed us to hold our zone competitio­n there.

“That gave us a good edge of where we are in our preparatio­ns to the national championsh­ip. Running on the tracks at Churchill Park has been a bonus to us this year. We were ready even before Easter but we have been doing specific training for specific individual­s in improving their times and we are hoping to dominate some areas of the competitio­n.

“We’ve doing well in the field events especially in the jumps. We’ve been dominating the events for the last three years and we’re hoping to do it again. “We are also developing our throwers and we have worked on our foundation by focusing on the sub-junior and junior athletes improve on the throws where we are expected to cause a few upsets.”

Wadali highlighte­d that the team would be up against some tough competitio­n from other athletes.

“We are going to dominate some areas of the game and we are going to keep it a secret. We also know there are other schools that will be coming out strong this year but we have our own ways of approachin­g the games. We will allow the students to participat­e happily and show good sportsmans­hip throughout the event.”

Wadali also acknowledg­ed the enormous support they have been receiving.

“The administra­tion, the staff members and the current students have been supportive to our preparatio­ns this year. Also to the parents along with old scholars here and overseas as they are supporting us in all areas financiall­y, the equipments and we are pleading to the whole of the Western division to remember us in their prayers. We hold the hope of the West and we are pleading to everyone to back us up from Thursday.”

 ?? Photo: Litia Tikomailep­anoni ?? Natabua High School athletics squad on April 18, 2017 in Lautoka.
Photo: Litia Tikomailep­anoni Natabua High School athletics squad on April 18, 2017 in Lautoka.

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