Ready to sail
SOPHIA Morgan is counting down to the day she who will represent Team Fiji at her first 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in sailing.
Sophia represented Fiji at the South Pacific Games in Samoa and at the Laser Worlds in Melbourne in 2020.
Speaking on her behalf, her mother Catherine Morgan said the support from her family is very important and vital as she prepare for the Olympics.
“Sophia has been a boarder at Epsom Girls Grammar School like her older sisters.
“She has received lots of support from the school and right now we’re both in New Zealand to support her,” she said.
“She also has cousins in Auckland who are Sailors. A lot of her support comes from Fiji with friends and family.
“Plus the Fiji Sports Commission and FASANOC have provided and incredible amount of support. This is Sophia’s last year at school so it is a real balancing act to train and study and complete school assignments with final exams in October to prepare for - but it’s hard work that reaps the benefits
“You just have to keep going.” Despite the situation that they are facing, they are fortunate enough to be in Auckland which is currently COVID-19 free.
“We are free to go out on the water and train.
“I have coaches with Olympic and Americas Cup experience and background.
“There are lots of sailors and races on here and that makes for good competition. But it is really cold on and off the water — like down to 2 degrees — so you have to have a good wetsuit.
“The conditions in Japan will be quite different where it is hot.”
Mrs Morgan spoke about her 17-year-old daughter, the challenges faced as she tried to qualify to the Olympics.
“Mostly she is young and inexperienced.
“The current World Champ and elite sailors in this class are in the early 30’s — Sophia is just 17 years old.
“So she has a long way to go and lots of experience to gain which is a good thing for the future.
“She was fortunate to qualify in February 2020 just before lock down.”
In July 2019, Sophia, together with her teammate, Nelle Leenders, placed second in the Women’s Laser Class team’s event at the Pacific Games in Samoa, collecting a silver medal for Fiji.
She took part in the New Zealand Laser Nationals in Wellington and managed to take out second place in the Women’s Youth Division.
As the best placed sailor from Oceania at the 2020 World Championships in Australia last year, Sophia qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games, and based on her success was offered the opportunity to train with the NZ Youth Sailing Squad while completing Year 12 at Epsom Girls Grammar School in Auckland.
Sophia is the recipient of an IOC Tokyo 2020 scholarship along with other recipients Robert Elder (Archery), Eugene Vollmer (Athletics), TevitaTakayawa (Judo) and Epeli Rabua, Cheyenne Rova and Moana Wind (Swimming).