Atelaite Eyes Aunt’s 800m Record
Lomaivuna High School student Makereta Atelaite hhopes to break her aunt’s record in the senior girls 800 metres in the upcoming. Fiji finals.
Her aunt, Makitalena Lokolokobuka set the record in 2009 while she was a student at Suva Grammar School. Lokolokobuka had stopped the clock at 2:21.01. On Tuesday, the Wallis and Futuna lass who shares maternal links to Viria, Naitasiri, won the senior girls
800 metres final in the Triple N Zone competition.
However she did not beat her zone record she set last year which was 2 minutes and 27 seconds.
“I was sick for one week and then came to participate at the zone, I did not train much as I did last year,” Atelaite said. “Whenever I was running, I was just thinking of my coaches because they told me not to let them down.
“And I want to thank God for the strength and my coach Peni Bikei.
“I want to dedicate my win to my grandmother Marica Draunimaca who came to watch me for the first time,” she added.
The Year 13 student is not new to the 800m event. In 2018 she won gold during the Coca-Cola Games in the junior grade for Lomaivuna before she moved to Natabua High School in Lautoka where she won bronze in 2019.
This year, Atelaite wants to exit high school on a high as she participates in her last Coca-Cola Games after it was cancelled for the past two years due to COVID-19.
“I know my toughest opponent will be Jasper Williams High School’s Melania Bale,” she said.
“My daily travel from Suva to Lomaivuna has been really tough but maybe because I favour God, I managed to win this.”