ACS Sprinters Aim to Break Record

Records continue to tumble on Day One of the Coca Cola Light Games and the platform has been set for the blue ribbon events later this evening.We cross over to our News Director Vijay Narayan at the National Sports Stadium for the latest.“Three records have been broken so far on the first day of the 2008 Coca Cola Light Games - the first by Kereleini Tabusoro of Lelean in the Inter-Girls’ Discus she threw the discus 34.13m and broke the old record which stood at 32.98m. The second record tumbled in the Senior Girls’ long jump, and Makelesi Tumalevu of Suva Grammar - setting a new record and breaking her old record, which she set last year - the record stood at 5.56m for the Senior Girls’ Long Jump. Tumalevu breaking her own record - this time 5.90m. And the third one, coming in the last year of course in the Inter Boys’ 400m heats, where Isoa Me of Natabua ran in a record time of 49.92s. We currently have the 200m heats underway, that’ll be followed by the 4X400m heats and then the 100m finals expected to start just after 6 o’clock this evening. And of course the last event of this evening will see the 400m final from the Sub Junior Girls grade right to the Senior Boys’ grade. “And of course we’re building up to the big races in the senior boys’ 100m and senior girls 100m – if you look at the girls category for the Senior Girls. It’s a three-way battle, two from the same school - Sera Tuinalase and Alena Vadrasamu – Alena Vadrasamu trying very hard to win three gold medals this year and make it a hat-trick. But it will be tough as the best time in the heats in the Senior Girls’ 100m has been clocked by Makelesi Tumalevu of Suva Grammar School. So that’s a race to look forward to later this evening. The 100m Senior Girls’ event in the finals and in the 100m Senior Boys events final we’ll see Iowane Dovumatua, Alfred Smith and Setareki Tikosaya battling it out – of course the best time by Dovumatua. But time will tell if Dovumatua can break the record this evening for the 100m final, which has been standing since 1993.” And the challenge has been laid by the girls of Adi Cakabau School who are aiming to make a clean sweep in the blue ribbon events this evening.ACS sprinters Sera Tuinalase and Alena Vadrasamu won their respective heats in the senior girls 100m and speaking to Fijivillage, Tuinalase said she aimed to set a new record in the race this evening. "It was ok. But I'm still injured at the moment. I'm just hitting my best. It will be pretty tough. I'm trying to run 11s, below 11 or 12.01."Vadrasamu said they have runners in the 100m in all grades and they intend to make a clean sweep. "Well I will try to better my time in the final. I'm not very impressed with my time in the heat. I will try to break my record which was set in 2006. So I will better my time in the finals. I'm very confident we will take it home this year. We're trying to from the sub-juniors to the seniors break the 100 and 200 metres records and the 4x100m as well. And we are aiming for 31 gold this year."In the boys division, there was a much closer finish in the senior boys 100m Heat Two. Setareki Tikosaya of QVS edged Alfred Smith to finish first with a time of 10.96s. Tikosaya believes the final will be very close.“Stiff competition this year for me and Iowane so this afternoon will be much tougher than last year!”The finals of the 100m will start at 6pm in the Sub Junior grades while the blue ribbon event is scheduled for 6.24pm.Day 1 is expected to finish at 7pm following the 400m Senior Boys' event.