Seduadua eyes 400m record
Training in the hills in Ba paid off for Xavier College student John Raju last night. The 14-year-old won gold in 1500 metres sub junior boys race during the first day of the Coca-Cola Games at the ANZ Stadium in Suva yesterday. Raju was motivated by his uncle who is a biology and mathematics teacher at Xavier College to try out athletics.
“My uncle told me to try out athletics,”he told SUNsports.
“After school, I would train at the hills at the back of our house in Ba.
“My parents are working in Lautoka but I live with my uncle.
“A strict diet and training programme enabled me to win gold and I would like to thank my parents, my uncle and school for believing in me,” he said.
He said his preparation for the Coca- Cola Games started in the first week of the school term.
“I would train for two to three hours with my uncle and he would ensure that I study in the evening,” he said.
“Juggling school work and training is important.” Today, Raju is running in the 800m and the 4x400m relay.
Kameli Seduadua is confident of clocking a better time in the 400metres senior boys’ final today and to win a gold medal for Ratu Kadavulevu School.
The 19-year-old represented Fiji at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia last week. “Through God, anything is possible,” he told SUNsports yesterday, “I want to finish high school on a high note. I also aim to break the 400 metres record (47.74seconds) set by Tira Narara of Marist Brothers High School.
“My goals this year is to represent Fiji at the Commonwealth Games, winning gold and breaking the sixyear record at the Coke Games and to pass my Year 13 examination,” he said.
Seduadua said it was hard to balance studies and training.
“After classes, I train for two to three hours and then spend four hours studying,”