Fiji Sun

Student athletes attend comp

- SEREANA SALALO Edited by Leone Cabenatabu­a Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj

Student athletes turned out in full force during the Athletics Fiji competitio­n at the ANZ Stadium, Suva, yesterday. Athletics Fiji president, Vuli Waqa welcomed the students and indicated that the meet would help in their preparatio­n for their zones and Coca-Cola Games.

The Coca-Cola Games is on April 22-24 and will be the platform to select national reps for the 2023 Pacific Games.

“This is the biggest far,” Waqa said.

“We thank Adi Cakobau School and Lelean Memorial School athletes for coming in numbers. “I think they are bringing down their reps to the Triple N Zone and Cokes.

“Athletics Fiji normally relies on Coke Games to select athletes to the Pacific Games or any other games.

“This is one way turnout for us so to have this to continue until the next Pacific Games. We work very closely with Athletics Fiji, and we are grateful to them for giving us assistance.”

Handicap race

Meanwhile, Pacific sprint king and Tokyo Olympics hopeful, Banuve Tabakaucor­o, is wary of having lack of competitio­n regionally and also internatio­nally. Tabakaucor­o is one of the four athletes from Fiji vying for an Olympic spot.

With COVID-19 pandemic restrictio­ns on travels abroad, the Bau, Tailevu, native is only participat­ing in the regular athletics meet organised by Athletics Fiji.

“Preparatio­ns have been tricky, I’m not going to lie,” he told SUNsports.

“There is lack of internatio­nal competitio­ns so I’m really hoping to get out and compete with some of the region and world’s best as well.

“So right now, we just have to go with the local competitio­ns that we have.”

Tabakaucor­o indicated that time had been improving.

“I’m just hoping more athletes turn out in numbers so that we can really have a go at those times,” Tabakaucor­o said.

“It’s been improving but not at the rate that I want to.

“I’m just competing with the high school students and the elite athletes that are in our clubs right now.

“We are trying to do dome handicap runs where some athletes will start at the nine metre mark and I’ll start from the 100.

“I do not have a specific time right now, coach is gauging running techniques and stuff like that. “But if we are sitting at the 10 second we’re happy,” he added. Tabakaucor­o, Eugene Volmer, Mustafa Falls and Eleina Young are our Olympic hopefuls. his

A boy read a restaurant sign that advertised fat-free French fries.

“Sounds great,” said the health-conscious boy. He ordered some.

He watched as the cook pulled a basket of fries from the fryer.

The potatoes were dripping with oil when the cook put them into the container.

“Wait a minute,” the boy said.

“Those don’t look fat-free.”

“Sure they are,” the cook said.

“We charge only for the potatoes. The fat is free!”

 ?? Photo: ?? Nicholas Miller of Marist Brothers High School participat­es in the junior boys shot put at the ANZ Stadium, Suva on Febuary 17, 2021 Leon Lord
Photo: Nicholas Miller of Marist Brothers High School participat­es in the junior boys shot put at the ANZ Stadium, Suva on Febuary 17, 2021 Leon Lord
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