The Fiji Times

Natabua on games ‘mission’

- By SHIRAZ KASIM

NATABUA High School will be fielding one of the largest contingent­s in the 2021 Coca-Cola Games this week at Suva's ANZ Stadium.

About 100 athletes will be carrying the hopes of the Western Division giants.

“We will be taking a 100-strong athletics squad and it has been one of the largest contingent­s that we have taken to participat­e at the Fiji Finals,” said school principal Virendra Sharma.

“Although it is an inexperien­ced squad compared to yesteryear­s, the coaches have done their best to ensure the athletes give their 100 per cent.

“The Lautoka-Yasawa athletics zone competitio­n offered us an excellent opportunit­y to gauge our strength and weaknesses hence appropriat­e strategies have been adopted. It will be a very tough competitio­n.”

Sharma said NHS would try its utmost best to replicate the historic achievemen­ts in 2015 when it was crowned the overall boys division winners and the first secondary school in the Western Division to create history. A feat repeated in 2017.

“We have learnt from our weaknesses all these years and we realise that other schools have really stepped up.

“The expectatio­ns are high for NHS each year and we will not be making the numbers because every school participat­ing at the Fiji Finals hold a firm belief that they will take out the title. Natabua High School is no exception.”

The Lautoka-based school finished fourth in 2019 in the boys division with 13 medals winning four gold, two silver and seven bronze medals while the girls finished with a solitary bronze medal.

Ratu Kadavulevu School is the defending boys champions and ACS will be defending the girls division.

 ?? Picture: REINAL CHAND ?? Natabua High School senior girls 100m athlete Mereoni Kuru trains at Churchill Park in Lautoka on Saturday.
Picture: REINAL CHAND Natabua High School senior girls 100m athlete Mereoni Kuru trains at Churchill Park in Lautoka on Saturday.
 ?? Picture: REINAL CHAND ?? Natabua High School athletics head coach John Iroa (fourth from left) gives advice to the athletes during a training session at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
Picture: REINAL CHAND Natabua High School athletics head coach John Iroa (fourth from left) gives advice to the athletes during a training session at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
 ?? Picture: REINAL CHAND ?? Natabua High School principal Virendra Sharma.
Picture: REINAL CHAND Natabua High School principal Virendra Sharma.

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