Rugby for youth games
AFTER more than six years, some of Fiji’s young rugby sevens athletes will get the opportunity to participate at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, taking place in the twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago from August 4-11.
The Commonwealth Games (CGF) announced the nations selected for the team sports events which will see Fiji represented in both the men’s and women’s sevens events.
Rugby sevens will take place at Shaw Park Cultural Complex on August 6-8 on the island of Tobago and will be contested by Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Jamaica, Scotland, Fiji and South Africa in the men’s competition.
Samoa defeated England 10-5 to win the gold medal in Nassau, Bahamas in 2017, while Fiji won the bronze medal 28-14 over Canada.
In the women’s competition, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Wales, Fiji and Kenya will take on defending champions Australia, who defeated Canada to win gold in 2017. Wales defeated Fiji at the Queen Elizabeth Sporting Complex to claim bronze.
Team Fiji Sevens will be joined by athletes from the sport of athletics, cycling, swimming and triathlon.
Calvin Yee has been confirmed as the chef de mission to the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games. Yee is no stranger to Team Fiji having been appointed as a general manager during the 2019 Pacific Games.
He was also a team manager at the 2018 Olympic Youth Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Yee is also an accomplished athlete having represented Fiji in late 80s to early 90s in athletics.
Team Fiji has attended six CYG Games, winning nine medals since 2000 with athletes like athletics Heleina Young, swimmer Taichi Vakasama and rugby athletes including Olympian Jiowana Sauto, France-based player Temo Mayanavanua and Super Rugby winger Timoci Tavatavanawai.
This year’s tournament marks the seventh Commonwealth Youth Games dating back to the original event held in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2000.
Rugby sevens made its debut at the IV edition of the Games on the Isle of Man in 2011.
Trinidad and Tobago were initially awarded the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games in June 2019, but the Games were postponed due to the impact of the COVID pandemic on the international sports calendar.
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin said: “The Commonwealth Youth Games is an invaluable opportunity for the future stars and leaders of rugby sevens to experience high-level and meaningful competition while also experiencing and sharing the values of sport through an historic multi-sport event. We have seen gold medal winners from this tournament go on to win medals in the Olympics and on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, and I would like to wish all of the athletes, staff and officials all the best in their preparations as they get set for kick off in August.”
CGF President, Dame Louise Martin, commented: “We are thrilled to unveil the nations competing in the team sports at Trinbago 2023. The Beach Volleyball, FAST5 Netball and Rugby Sevens competitions are set to be highly competitive, with nations from across the Commonwealth vying for gold. It will be an unforgettable, inspiring experience for the young athletes involved and an opportunity for fans to see the stars of the future.”
Entry for team sports was by invitation and the demand for places was once again high. Following applications by Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs), the CGF, in full consultation with the respective International Federations, made the final selection based on criteria including host nation representation, past results, depth of field and strength of competition, and regional representation.
The Commonwealth Youth Games is an invaluable springboard for the stars and leaders of tomorrow, contributing to the further development of youth sport throughout the Commonwealth. Trinbago 2023 will see more than 1000 athletes and para athletes, between the ages of 14-18, from the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories, participate in a total of seven sports - aquatics (swimming), athletics and para athletics, cycling (road race, time trial and track) and triathlon, as well as FAST5 netball, rugby sevens and beach volleyball.