Fiji Secondary Schools Athletics tourney 2008
28-Apr-2008
IMAGINE being chased by a horse while you are running at the Fiji Secondary Schools Amateur Athletics Association Fiji Finals at the National Stadium.
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology.
It is often inextricably associated with gambling. The common nickname for horse racing is The Sport of Kings.
We all know the speed of a horse running at its best … remember the Melbourne Cup which plays host to the best horses from around the world and remember the names Efficient (2007 winner) and Mykbe Diva (2006/2005 winner)! Ring any bells?
Well they may be the best from their time but none of those horses are in Fiji especially in the outer island of Vanuabalavu.
One of those kinds of horses are in Fiji. The horse may not be part of any Melbourne Cup races but it has been doing wonders.
In the Melbourne Cup the horses chase for the top spot and also to win the prize but in Fiji there is a different kind of species found only in Vanuabalavu.
Nadroga is known for their horses and the Stallions tag.
Vanuabalavu is located at 17°25?S, 178°92?W, this coral and volcanic island has a land area of 53 square kilometers. Its maximum elevation is 283 metre.
The island is characterised by steep undercut cliffs, with fertile volcanic soil. It is well watered and has hot springs. There is an extensive reef system, including the islets of Qilaqila Bay. The main village on the island is Lomaloma.
Vanua Balavu boasts of the Yanuyanu Island Resort, an airstrip, a copra port, and a small hospital.
There is also the Lomaloma Copra Biofuel Project which provides power to three villages, Naqara, Sawana and Lomaloma.
Here is a tale that has helped the people of Vanuabalavu to get them to reach their goals or destiny.
The horses in Vanuabalavu are used for farming and transportation for people and rootcrops.
Adi Maopa Secondary School which is from Vanuabalavu has been using their horses in a different way altogether.
With a school roll of 96 the furtherest traveling team brought a team of five athletes of whom all were girls. Four were part of the relay team that won the gold ahead of ACS and SGS while the 100m and 200m were also taken by them in the sub-junior.
The record of bringing 5 athletes and winning four gold and a bronze medal is more than 100 per cent.
Compare the team size and the number of medals won, one would certainly agree with me that Adi Maopa School did better than ACS.
The parents of the students who qualify to represent the school at the annual Coca-Cola Light Games get on the horse and chase their children to help them in training.
Think I’m joking, ask Pasemaca Wati, she scooped three gold medals from the Games, thanks to her father for the training from the horse’s back.
“We have three horses back in the village and they all run very fast,” the Boitaci lass said proudly.
And how did this young girl train to reach the destiny of taking three gold medals from the many students who stay in Suva who have excess to train on the tracks of the National Stadium.
“When I qualified for the Games, my father told me that he wanted me to do well at my first Games so he told me that he would give me a different kind of training.
“My father would take me to the airport every morning and after school where he would ride on the horse and chase me from one end to another.”
What these little girls did not know was that being chased by a horse for more than three weeks would reap at the tracks of the National stadium - a far cry from home.
“I only whished if my father was here to see me win the gold medals,” Wati said.
“He has helped me get all the goods and has shown that winning does not mean to train only on tracks.if there is a will there’s a way-that’s what our school coach taught us.”
“I know that most of the people thought of the bigger schools to win gold leaving the ones from outside especially the outer islands out of the picture but we were here to open eyes and we did.”
The three gold medals won by Wati enabled them to secure a third place finish in the girls division behind champions Adi Cakobau School and Suva Grammar School.
Coach, Iferiemi Kubukawa who is a tovata of the Lau group because he is from Lekutu village in Bua said he was not going to leave Vanuabalavu just as yet.
“I have been there for the last three years and I have known how hard working the people in the outer islands are,” he said.
“We missed out last year because of financial constraint but this year we managed to come over thanks to the sponsors.”
Sponsors-Mago Island Resort, Colonial National Bank, and Waitui Surf would be smilling away because they would have known that their money did not go wasted.
On next year Kubukawa said they would take a much higher step than this year.
“Before the year ends we would give out the training programmes to all the students so by next year all are in tip-top form and ready to take the 2009 Coca-Cola Light Games by
storm.”
Just another note…
The best-known native of Vanuabalavu is ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, who hails from the village of Mavana.
Other prominent Vanuabalavu natives are the academic Esther Williams, from Levukana village, former Attorney-General Qoriniasi Bale, from Levukana village, and Interim Education Minister Filipe Bole, also from Mualevu village.
Charles Walker, a former politician and Fiji diplomat hails from Sawana village. Mere Samisoni, businesswoman and politician comes from the village of Lomaloma also including current Lami Mayor Tevita Vuatalevu who hails from the village of Mavana.
One may wonder Wati could be next on the list or she may have already written her name on it.
ISAAC LAL |
