One of Fiji’s early swimming greats
IN the 1960s, the Rewa River was the training ground of one of Fiji’s early swimming greats — Sefanaia Koroi.
His name may not ring a bell but by 1964, at the age of 18, the head boy of Lelean Memorial School in Davuilevu, was already a South Pacific Games swimming gold medallist.
Not only did he display his passion for the sport as a competitor, he was also life saver — being the youngest qualified examiner of the Royal Life-Saving Society Fiji.
Koroi’s achievement made him the fourth qualified examiner in the colony.
The aspiring teacher was born on Yacata Island, home to Victoria Cross posthumous awardee, Cpl Sefanaia Sukanaivalu.
Koroi won two gold medals for Fiji in the swim events of the South Pacific Games and held Fiji records in the 110 and 220 yards breaststroke.
His interest in sports also rippled beyond the pool. He was the vice-captain of the Lelean senior rugby team and was part of the representative schoolboy team that played in the curtain-raiser before the highly anticipated Fiji vs Maori Test at Buckhurst Park in 1964.
He represented LMS in hockey and cricket and was the captain of the school’s team in the inter-secondary athletics competition.
Koroi started taking a keen interest in life-saving swimming since 1962 when he gained a bronze medal in swimming.
A year later, he was a trainee instructor at the Lelean Life-Saving Club.
Most of Koroi’s swimming was done in the Rewa River where the Lelean Life-Saving Club trained under the watchful eye of coach, Mr Harrison.
He later gained his instructors certificate. His accolades and devotion, at such a tender age, was not only a shining example to young sportsmen and women of his era but also to youths who play competitive sports in the 21st century.
He was the vicecaptain of the Lelean senior rugby team and was part of the representative schoolboy team that played in the curtainraiser before the ... Fiji vs Maori Test – The Fiji Times