Veiuto Primary School will be the first ever team to represent themselves in this year’s Chow Games.

Speaking to SUNsports yesterday coach Owen Ratumaikoro said this was their chance to expose their younger athletes.

“The idea behind it is after last year’s performance in the Chow Games, the Suva team lost the girls title to Nadroga and the boys lost due to difference in the bronze medal count,” he said.

“What we thought this year because we are having it divisional based at the games, we decided why not the Suva schools have it school based to expose our under- 9 to 11 athletes.

“They will be senior athletes by the time the national games come back.

“We took that up to the Suva Zone 2 meet unfortunately that did not go too well with others but we decided to go ahead and that was basically what happened now.”

In order for the school to earn their place in the Chow Games the school selected their first and second place getters from the Zone 2 meet.

“After the meet we were left with 72 athletes which was quite a big number compared to what we always give to Suva Two in the past. Our first objective has been met so the next one now is exposing our athletes into another level of competition which is what we are basically gearing up for.

“Veiuto always contribute 20 to 30 athletes to the Suva Two team but that is the cream of our athletes. For some of them they will be running in the Chow Games because of the school so we are pretty happy.

“We have not forgotten the Suva team as we are in touch with them and in fact we are sharing our training programme with them,” he said.

Team Veiuto aim to liven the Games being the only school representative providing competition to the bigger districts.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

stella.moresio@fijisun.com.fj