First gold for Fiji
COMPETING in three individual events, the late Merewai Turukawa Vesikula quickly stamped her name in the history of the Pacific Games, then known as the South Pacific Games in 1963.
Her first event, the shot-put throw which she won was the first gold medal of the games and for Fiji. Mere Turukawa as she was commonly known within the athletics arena in Fiji was born on June 23, 1938 in Nadroga and moved to Suva in 1955 to pursue her studies in the medical profession. According to Athletics Fiji, the opportunity to compete at the regional or international level for Vesikula came a bit late in her sporting career.
The first opportunity for regional competition for Vesikula was at the inaugural South Pacific Games in 1963 where she competed in shot-put, discus and javelin and was successful in winning the gold medal in each of the events.
She again represented Fiji in the 1966 South Pacific Games but because of a niggling knee injury she was only able to win a silver medal in discus.
Vesikula went on to establish a Fiji record in shot-put with a throw of 13.11m on 25 April, 1964.
The record still stood at the time of her induction in the Fiji’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. Her induction was in recognition of the first gold medal won by a Fijian at the South Pacific Games.
Vesikula’s daughter Atelini Bai confirmed to this newspaper her mother passed away in May last year. She is survived by her three children and 10 grandchildren.