Athletics Fiji has been allocated nine spots for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on April 4-15.

AF president Joe Rodan Senior said they have submitted the extended squad of 27 to the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) following the 2017 Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu and will select their final nine athletes next month.

Athletics have been allocated a quota of five males and four females and three officials. AF has used the Mini Games as their first selection criteria.

“Those who won gold in the individual events will be in the shortlist and those who won silver will be in the longer list and they have to improve their performances to be far better from what they achieved in the Mini Games.

Shawntell Lockington clears the bar at the 2017 Pacific Mini Games. Photo: ONOC

“The gold medallists will need to maintain or improve their performances. If they drop then we will reconsider their position,” Rodan said.

The athletes will be travelling to Australia to compete in the pre-Commonwealth Games competition before they finalise their nine -member squad.

“The pre-Commonwealth Games competition will serve as their final trial before we select our final squad.  We just want to remind our athletes that none of their places are confirmed in the squad but they will need to prove themselves again,” he added.

AF will meet next Tuesday to go through the extended squad list.

Some of the athletes who are in the extended squad fighting for top five spots are Aaron Powell, Eugene Vollmer, Malakai Kaiwalu,Shawntell Lockington and Mustafa Fall.

The team will be coached by Albert Miller, Beni Qumi and managed by Joseph Rodan Junior.

Edited by Osea Bola 

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