Yee to study, train in Australia

SPRINTER Braelynn Yee is further boosted in her athletics career after being awarded the Griffith University Oceania Australia Foundation Athletics Business Scholarship yesterday.

The scholarship provides an opportunity for one promising athlete from the Oceania region, commencing this year 2024, to develop their athletic potential.

At the same time, she will be completing a three-year Bachelor of Business degree at Griffith University Gold Coast campus, supported and funded by Griffith University, Oceania Australia Foundation and Oceania Athletics Association.

“I checked my student Griffith email and I saw an email from Sarah Todd – Vice President (Global) Griffith University. It never crossed my mind that it was the scholarship email or the outcome of it because it was one week early. Also, this email has been sitting in my student inbox for 8 hours. As I opened the PDF document in the email,

I had to read the letter 3 times just to be sure I’m not jumping the gun,” Yee said.

“I called my mum saying I got the scholarship, and I couldn’t talk after that for 15 minutes as I cried. This is my golden opportunity and dream scholarship.”

Yee was a member of the Laucala Bay Athletics Club, she represented Fiji at the 2017 and 2019 Oceania Area Championships, the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, 2021 Pacific Mini Games and the 20192023 Pacific Games.

In all her high school years, Yee was always a top contender at the annual Fiji Finals from 2015 – 2019.

She ran for Natabua High School in the earlier grades and then for St Joseph’s Secondary School in the later grades.

I called my mum saying I got the scholarship, I couldn’t talk after that for 15 minutes as I cried.

– Braelynn Yee