Duo aims to fill big shoes at the Pacific Games

Two young athletes will be eager to get the opportunity to claim the title of Pacific Sprint king after the retirement of current Pacific Games reigning sprint champion Banuve Tabakaucoro.

Waisake Tewa and Joshua Daudravuni have been tasked with the opportunity to continue Team Fiji's dominance in the sprint events that include the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 x 100-metre relay events.

Tewa who hails from Gau in Lomaiviti says with the withdrawal of Tabakaucoro from the Pacific Games, he knows he will have huge shoes to fill.

He says Tabukaucoro has set a standard along with other athletes like Jone Delai, and now it is up to them to make sure that they keep those standards.

The former Saqani High School student had to make the move to Suva to pursue his dream of representing Fiji in the sport of athletics.

The 20-year-old says he enrolled in Nakasi High School after COVID so he could compete and train with other athletes.

He adds it was during this time he got the opportunity to train and learn from coaches like Bola Tafo'ou and also learn from one of his biggest inspirations, Tabukaucoro.

Fellow teammate and sprinter Joshua Daudravuni says it would be one of their biggest challenges to maintain the standard set by former sprinters.

Daudravuni says they are lucky to have some of the best coaches in Fiji, who continue to encourage and push them to perfect their technique and training.

Daudravuni, who hails from Noco in Rewa, says they are ready to represent Fiji and will leave nothing to chance.

He says their coaches have told them that Fiji has a reputation to maintain in the sprint events, which is a welcome pressure for them.

He also says that he and Tewa look forward to this opportunity to showcase what God has blessed them with and hopefully make Fiji, their parents and supporters proud.

He adds that he hopes to make the most of this opportunity given to him and pay back the faith of the selectors.

Daudravuni first appeared on the Athletics Fiji radar while representing Ratu Kadavulevu School before moving to Ratu Sukuna Memorial School in 2022.

Both athletes will be participating in their first-ever Pacific Games from the 19th of November to the 2nd of December in the Solomon Islands.

FASANOC