Coke Games co-ordinator Vuli Waqa reckons this year's Coke Games will be the most competitive.
"Simply because we're looking at the bulk of athletes to represent Fiji at the SPG in Samoa to come out of the Coke Games, Waqa said yesterday.
The Fiji Secondary School School Athletics Association national finals will be held over April 27-28 at the Post Fiji Stadium but the eliminations begin next week with the Suva Zone One and Two meets next Thursday and Friday.
Waqa said they'd be looking at unearthing another new star this year following the revelation of Suva Grammar's Niko Verekatua last year.
Verekauta is based in New Zealand. He is on Olympic Solidarity Scholarship at the Oceania High Performance Training Centre with high jumper Rajend Prasad. Verekauta, 21, has a personal best of 46.28 seconds in the 400m. He ran 46.77 at the World Junior Championships in Beijing last year where he finished in fourth place in one of the semi-finals.
More overseas stints
Team Fiji is looking at another "five or six athletes to move across to Brisbane to train with Fijian track queen Makelesi Bulikiobo, under the guidance of coach Lloyd Way.
Last weekend at the Australian Championships in Brisbane, Bulikiobo ran best times in nearly every start, including a fourth in the final of the 200m and fourth in the final of the 400m.
Way said her best breakthrough was 53.85s in the 400m while in the 200m she ran 23.95s which is the first time this season she has broken 24s, while in the final she ran 23.65s to come fifth.
"That was a big breakthrough, she ran in lane two in the final, Way told Radio Australia.
Distance runner Isireli Naikelekelevesi joins the Brisbane-based Pacific squad in two weeks.
Way said the islanders thrived on hard work.
"They've really made a mark, as far as athletics in Australia at the weekend, I think a few people where very surprised, he said.
Way was also impressed by Papua New Guinea's female runner Mae Koime, who broke through with an Olympic B qualifying time in Brisbane.
Way said Koime's enormous personal best of 11.37s. (down from her previous personal best 11.71s) gave her the silver medal and boosted her regional ranking from eighth to second.
Koime went on to win her second silver of the meet in the 200m, clocking 23.38s behind triple New Zealand sprint champion, Monique Williams (23.28s.).
Cash input
Getting more athletes to train in Brisbane will come down to the financial aspect of Team Fiji's preparations.
A boost though for those vying for the trip to Samoa is the financial backing from the Fosters Group of companies.
The company has given $20,000 to FASANOC to cater for the levy of track and field athletes.
As it stands, there will be a levy of $900 per athlete for the trip and athletes can be grateful for the help from the brewery firm.
Quality over depth
This year's athletics squad won't lack quality but will be short in depth.
The financial demand is the contributing factor. The team could be forced to only take A-grade qualifiers, with B and B and C grade qualifiers, mainly silver and bronze hopefuls to be left out.
Athletics won 17 gold, 14 silvers and 15 bronze to top its section at the 2003 Games, ahead of New Caledonia (11, 7, 5).
The target this time is 20. Overall Team Fiji won 65 gold, 59 silver and 53 bronze medals in Suva and was placed second behind New Caledonia. This year Team Fiji is aiming for 75 gold medals.
The SPG will be held from August 25-September 8 with Fiji participating in the following sports, 31 in all: Archery, athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, bodybuilding, bowls, boxing, cricket, football, golf, hockey, judo, netball, powerlifting, outrigger canoeing, rugby league, rugby union, shooting, sailing, squash, surfing
MIKA VUKONA Mike Pero Nelson Giants (NBL) inked experienced 35-year old New Zealander international center Mika Vukona (197-93kg-82). It is actually his comeback to Giants as he has played here before. Vukona has a double citizenship as he also holds Fijian passport. Vukona played recently at played at Breakers in Australian NBL league. In 30 games he recorded 6.2ppg, 6.2rpg and 1.7apg this season. He helped them to make it to the semifinals. The last season Vukona played also at New Zea... [read more]
MIKA VUKONA
Mike Pero Nelson Giants (NBL) inked experienced 35-year old New Zealander international center Mika Vukona (197-93kg-82). It is actually his comeback to Giants as he has played here before. Vukona has a double citizenship as he also holds Fijian passport. Vukona played recently at played at Breakers in Australian NBL league. In 30 games he recorded 6.2ppg, 6.2rpg and 1.7apg this season. He helped them to make it to the semifinals. The last season Vukona played also at New Zealand Breakers where in 27 NBL games he averaged 6.5ppg, 5.1rpg and 2.2apg. Among other achievements Vukona played in the final of Australian NBL in 2016. He received also Australiabasket.com All-Australian NBL Honorable Mention award back in 2011 and 2014. Vukona has been also a member of New Zealand international program for some years. He has regularly played for New Zealand senior team since 2005 and previously for U21 National Team in 2001. Vukona represented New Zealand at the FIBA Oceania Championships three years ago. He is a very experienced player. Vukona has quite traveled the world as his pro career brought him to four different continents (Europe, Asia, Australia and of course North America). Vukona has played previously professionally also in Italy (Virtus Roma), Lebanon (Byblos), New Zealand (Rangers) and Australia (S.Dragons and Gold Coast Blaze). He is close to retirement age as a player. It may be one of last seasons in his extensive career, which he may end at Giants. Vukona's game is described as:
One of the most surprising players in Australian league. Brings a lot of energy on the court, and plays everytime hard and physical. Game after game, he felt his confidence growing and now is a true big league forward. Needs to expand the range of his outside shooting, however, because most of his field goals come from lay-ups, and to improve his 32 per cent free-throw percentage.
Fiji National Team win All Star Game - 7 months ago
POSTED BY:
EUROBASKET NEWS
follow us on
Fiji National Team celebrated victory in the All-Star Game in the country. They clashed with USP All Stars at the showdown. Basketball Fiji organised the event. Fiji National Team dominated from start to finish. They recorded a 66:36 win at the end. Jonathon Uluiviti was named the MVP. [read more]
Fiji National Team celebrated victory in the All-Star Game in the country. They clashed with USP All Stars at the showdown. Basketball Fiji organised the event. Fiji National Team dominated from start to finish. They recorded a 66:36 win at the end. Jonathon Uluiviti was named the MVP.
Copyright (c) 1998-2018 Eurobasket Inc. Disclaimer
WARNING:
Do not copy, redistribute, publish or otherwise exploit information that you download from the site !
Do not encumber, license, modify, publish, sell, transfer or transmit, or in any way exploit, any of the
content of the site, nor will you attempt to do so.
