Rotuma High Trio In for the Medals
The Fiji Finals will be held from April 27-29.
Rotuma High School athletes have been training at the Marist Brothers High School grounds since Wednesday in preparation for the Maritime zone at the HFC Bank Stadium coming Tuesday.
Team manager Joseph Savea is optimistic that the three athletes will win medals at the zone and qualify for the Fiji Secondary Schools CocaCola National Championships on April 27.
The three-day meet rounds up on Saturday, April 29. “I am very confident as we have prepared well and we are here to win,” Savea said.
“We had arrived on Wednesday; and at around 4pm we were at the Marist grounds.
“The boys were training with the Marist students, which has built their confidence knowing they’re training with the best.
“Training with the Marist boys has boosted the athletes’ morale as Marist is one of the Coke Games giants.
“We are only able to bring three athletes over because it is expensive to travel from Rotuma to Fiji.
“We flew over and that is one of the challenges for us - bringing a squad to Suva. This year we have a very small squad because airfare is not cheap.”
The RHS athletes are David Savea who is in the sub junior grade and will be taking part in the discus and shot put events; in the junior grade is Asif Ali who will be participating in the 800metres and 1500m and Venasio Savea the discus and shot put thrower.
“The change in the competition dates is frustrating; it is not fair on the athletes.”
Maritime Zone organiser Biu Colati said that five schools have confirmed their participation in the maritime zone to date.
“Rotuma High, Koro High, Gau Secondary, Cicia High and Adi Maopa Secondary schools have confirmed their participation. Ratu Finau Secondary from Lakeba, Lau and Moce High are yet to confirm their participation,” Colati said.
“Last year especially Rotuma was a surprise as they had less numbers but quality athletes,” he said. “Maritime schools are disadvantaged as they always have less time to prepare especially with the change in the dates of the Coke Games.
“This year the boat bringing in the athletes from the islands is expected to arrive in Suva on Tuesday morning – the students will compete on the same afternoon.
“This is because we are at the mercy of the boat companies.
“We can’t delay the zone because the Cokes start on Thursday which is two days after Tuesday.”