Games fever returns 2022 Coca-Cola Games opening ceremony at the HFC Bank Stadium, Suva.
THE world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt once said, “No matter how far you get ahead of me, I’m gonna catch you. That’s my mentality …”
Today and the next three days, winning is on the mind of everyone who enters the Fiji Sports Council complex at Laucala Bay, Suva.
From an athlete to his or her teammates, school, friends, fans and even families, win is the key word. You run, jump or throw to beat your opponents. You have to win. You have trained for weeks for that. That will be your mentality, like what Bolt said.
Even on the stands or embankments, fans and your school mates, will want you to win – for them, for yourself and for your school.
Even the latest craze will have its own competition and attraction on the sideline – cheerleading has moved from the team of cheerleaders to another spectre of TikTok. Be on the lookout for hosts of TikToks consisting of a variety of short videos, from pranks, tricks, jokes, dance, and entertainments.
In a parcel, the games will drive everyone to a frenzy, and light up media and social media sites. Fijians, locally and abroad, working and unemployed, will pause at one stage in the next three days to catch a glimpse of the Fiji Finals.
To about 3000 athletes from 260 schools, Bolt’s statement will be on their mind this week.
They will compete to win. Win against opponents and the easterlies blowing from the harbour adjacent to Fiji’s biggest sports complex. Today until Saturday evening, the winds will carry chorus of cheers and singing, celebrating the return of the South Pacific’s biggest annual schools athletics competition.
The Fiji Finals, now commonly known as the Coca-Cola Games is back after COVID-19 halted the events two years ago.
This is its 60th year. The event has grown since its inception in 1962. Today, FSSAA general secretary Filimoni Waqa boasts that close to 3000 athletes from about 260 schools will compete.
His association president Marika Uluinaceva said the games had entered into a new era.
“We have been doing this for years starting from the inter-house right up to the zone competitions,” he said.
“Few things have changed such as going from a three-term to a four-term school calendar. We usually have the games in April. Now, we are having it in August which means moving from a warmer season to a cooler one. That is the new norm which COVID had brought. We have to adapt to it.”
The new norm brings about new expectancy to the games.
With the Fiji Meteorological Service forecasting strong east to northeasterly winds, cloudy periods with brief showers and cool nights in the next three days, it’s everybody’s guess on who will succeed when the dust settles at the HFC Bank Stadium tracks on Saturday.
Waqa said the success of the games would depend on patrons’ adherence to health and safety regulations at the sporting complex.
“Protocol for COVID-19 is something that we will be serious about, especially during the games. We do not want the Coca-Cola Games to be blamed as the super spreader,” Waqa said.
“This is the best time to thank people and encourage them to support and come and see the games to know what makes it become a success. The support we get from the sponsors, from schools and parents are quite a lot. There are some new things such as two new events in the sub junior grades which makes it this year as the most exciting and biggest so far than any other games. The games get better and better each year and 2022 will be no difference.”
COVID and academic year demands had reduced the numbers from islands schools. The FSSAA Maritime Zone competition heralds the annual event. Unfortunately on Wednesday, with some island students visiting the Suva City for the first time, had only three schools, with very less number of athletes.
“The Maritime Zone has three schools. They are Rotuma, Adi Maopa from Vanuabalavu and Ratu Finau Secondary School from Lakeba.
“Despite that our request to the public, the supporters and the old scholars and anyone who believes in the Coca-Cola Games is to come down to the games. We missed them in the past two years and we are dying to watch our children compete and feel the festivity in the games. The Coca-Cola Games is termed as the biggest annual secondary schools athletics competition in the South Pacific, so to prove that, come down to the HFC Bank Stadium.
“The tickets for the grandstand are sold as a package, for those who plan to come down on Friday and Saturday, we have the embankment there for you. The concrete seating is for $12 and the grass embankment is for $10 a day. The grandstand is for $45 for three days.”
Schools will assemble at 8am before the Minister for Education, Premila Kumar, opens the three-day event at 8.30am.
8am: All teams assemble at Bidesi Ground;
8.27am: All guests to be seated;
8.30am: Arrival of chief guest, Minister for Education Premila Kumar;
8.35am: Athletes enter the arena led by the Fiji Police Force brass band;
8.55am: Flag raising ceremony by QVS students;
9am: Devotion – the Rev Josefa Sewale;
9.05am: Introduction of chief guest by FSSAA president Marika Uluinaceva;
9.10am: Address by chief guest;
9.15am: Declaration of athletes and officials’ oaths;
9.18am: Entry of Games flame by students of 2019 champions, RKS & ACS;
9.20am: Lighting of cauldron; 9.25am: Athletes return to assembly area.
10am: Coca-Cola Games begin.