The ‘Vokai’ is chosen to be the mascot of the 2017 ITTF World Cadet Challenge which will be held at the Vodafone Arena, Suva.

Vokai is the indigenous name for the endangered Crested Iguana which is found only in Fiji.

Fiji Table Tennis Association president Anthony Ho in an earlier statement released by the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee said they wanted to showcase something that was special and endemic to Fiji only.

“Fiji is drawing attention to climate change and we wanted to  draw attention to the vokai which is an endangered species in Fiji,” he said.

Fiji will host 42 countries representing six continents and this will bring over 60 athletes and officials.

The ITTF World Cadet Championship will feature the world’s best Under-15 players which will also see a Hope’s Team participating.

The Hope’s Team will comprise of U12 players from all over the world. The girls’ team comprise of Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi, Anna Hursey of Wales, Swathi Giri of the United States and Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi. The boys’ team are formed by Iran’s Navid Shams, Germany’s Tayler Fox, Australia’s Nicholas Lum and Egypt’s Omar Ehab.

The event could well be on the way to breaking Fiji sport’s record.

With players, managers, and technical officials from over 40 countries attending, it looks like the most diverse sporting event to evertake place in Fiji.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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