Wife, Mother And Coach
Esther Lolesio Malani, 48, would have been a fashion designer, if she was not a swimming coach.
Originally from Niuatoputapu in Tonga, Malani is the mother of Fiji’s Pacific Games gold medallist Meli. She is married Dr Ratu Jioji Malani.
Malani is the head coach of the Orca Swimming Club, which has produced top swimmers like 2019 Sportswoman of the Year, Moana Wind and Eugene Kado.
She holds three swimming coach qualifications, ASCTA (Australia Swimming Coaches Teaching Association) Learn to Swim, ASCTA ‘Bronze’ and ASCTA ‘Silver’ which she is on the verge of completing it.
She spoke to SUNsports of her involvement with sports
SUN: How important your family? MALANI:
is sports to
Absolutely important. It had been a major component of our family life particularly when the children were small. Our family are keen followers of most sports particularly rugby, swimming, weight lifting, netball and athletics.
My eldest daughter, Lagilagi was a good netball player and also swimming and if she had continued, I’m sure she could have had higher honours.
My son Meli, was an Olympian (2016 Rio Olympics) and was awarded the Fiji Sportsman of the Year in 2014. He also played rugby, league and judo.
But his passion is in boxing (his uncle and namesake Meli Malani was the heavyweight champion of New Zealand in 1979).
My second son Wilisoni played rugby, swimming and also represented Fiji in weightlifting at the Youth Commonwealth Games in 2015 in Samoa.
He also represented Fiji in the Oceania weightlifting in New Caledonia in 2014. He also captained the Suva Under-14 rugby team to Australia.
My two younger daughters– Fololina and Pepe Malani are swimmers.
My husband played for the 1981 Wellington rugby team that won the Ranfurly Shield. He was there doing his medical studies. He is a crazy rugby follower and a bad loser.
SUN: What about your coaching journey? MALANI:
It started when our children started swimming while at Suva Christian School.
I noticed how good they were and decided to join the swimming club. On Meli’s first swim, I was told that don’t worry, it will take a year or so to win a medal. He ended up winning three medals in his first competition.
From then onwards, our interest grew and we took more participation and role in swimming. We would be attending all meetings, competitions and started reading and understanding a lot more of the details of swimming. My husband also encouraged and supported me from the medical issues and requirements of swimming.
These were very busy times because all five children were competitive swimmers and during school semesters, the boys played rugby and netball for the girls. So, I was like a taxi driver and caretaker preparing for their day, their drop off (and pickup), their food and drinks.
I have assumed various officiating roles within Fiji Swimming including: refereeing, stroke judging inspector of turns, and timekeeping
I have proficient organisational skills and have assumed team manager’s role when and where required including at the national team level.
I take pride in my work and strive to achieve tasks to high quality work, individually and within a team environment.
SUN: Being one of the few women as a swimming head coach, what does this mean to you? How has it helped you to see women in sports? MALANI:
I’m proud to be a HC for Orca Swim Club but it also comes with heavy responsibilities.
I have an important task to improve our swimmers performance and outlook at all levels.
It is an approach ‘in totality’ that encompasses their approach, personal attributes, commitment and also allow them the opportunity to perform well academically.
Not all swimmers come already ‘packaged and ready to go’. You have a lot of work to mould them into the right frame of mind, attitude and commitment.
So, all my swimmers are progress’.
The club and parents have entrusted me with their children and all have hopes for their children to succeed not only in Fiji, Pacific islands but also internationally. And to represent Fiji to Commonwealth Games and into the Olympics. ‘work in
I take my responsibility seriously and have educated myself in getting credentials and qualified enough to allow me to provide better coaching for my swimmers and the club.
I have taken swimmers to coaching clinics in Australia, New Zealand, USA and have kept close contact with top coaches from these countries.
They help me with my gramme design and analysis. My involvement has given me the insight that mothers are the backbone of many sports.
As reflected in my commitment in supporting my children and the mothers and parents of swimmers in my club, I believe that without mothers, many sports may find it a struggle.
So, I honour all the mothers for the successes in our sports in Fiji. I also think that women in sports is special because they have other issues to overcome and rugby is always the number one sport (but women rugby is also coming up.). I am proud of Moana Wind who brought in the largest number of medals in the last Pacific Games in Samoa and being the 2019 Sportswoman of the Year. pro
SUN: From your personal point of view, what would you say about the development of women swimming in Fiji? MALANI:
If you look back at the history of Fiji Swimming, women have been quite outstanding and the major names include– Sharon Pickering (three- time Olympian,
Hall of Fame and Fiji Sportswoman of the Year), Caroline Pickering (Olympian and Fiji Sportswoman of the Year), Shane Sorby (Multi gold medallist and Fiji Sportswoman of the Year), Rachael Ah-Koy (multi-gold medallist), Matelita Buadromo (Olympian).
I look at these outstanding women and they embody all the qualities of absolute commitment, selflessness, and perseverance in order to succeed at high levels.
As such, they have made very special contributions to sports in Fiji and especially swimming. To progress into elite level swimming is a huge challenge because swimming is probably one of the most demanding and rigorous training programmes in sports. Because it is a non-contact and individual sport, swimming may not have that appeal as does rugby and netball.
But it is hugely technical and scientific and to compete at high levels, coaches and their swimmers need to know what they are trying to achieve and how to achieve it. But also to acquire the latest knowledge and science available to achieve it. It has many challenges and particularly keeping the swimmers motivated, focused and committed consistently.
Because it is an individual sport, it can very much be a lonely sport the higher up they progress.
Most of the female swimmers (Olympic levels) tend to pick in their 20 and 21years of age and the challenge to keep them focused and successful from 15 years onwards with the demands of adolescent and adult growth, education and social demands are huge.
This can be frustrating to coaches and definitely parents.
It is well known that New Caledonia, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea are dominant in all Pacific Games because of swimming and their women swimmers are just outstanding. Unless Fiji improve in the swimming events and compete with these nations, it will be impossible for Fiji to win any Pacific Games because there are 44 gold medals on hand to be shared.