Fijian football golden boy, Roy Krishna and 7s rugby icon Seremaia ‘Jerry’ Tuwai have things in common.

They are both from Vanua Levu, bred and groomed on the local front before they mesmerised the world with their extraordinary talents and skills.

With 2020 coming to closing, it’s only fitting that we highlight their achievements as they continue to light up our lives and bring good tidings and smiles in desperate times.

They bring comfort to our living rooms and with the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Yasa last week, we can draw inspiration from the talented yet humbled duo who always rose from defeat and battled on regardless despite the circumstances.

2020 should be remembered as a year that sport ground to halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It brought postponement, cancellations then frustrations and disappointments.

But that could not stop from celebrating excellence and the Roy and Jerry led the way.

JERRY

Apart from winning the first ever gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and being part of the Hong Kong Sevens winning Fiji team for five years in a row, Tuwai was voted by fans worldwide as World Rugby 7s Player of The Decade.

It’s a crowning moment for a player who stood the test of time, a late bloomer who made his debut seven months after his 25th birthday in 2014 at the Gold Coast Sevens

KRISHNA

Just like Tuwai, SUNsports named Krishna as our footballer of the decade.

The star of the ATK Mohun Bagan of the Indian Super League has transcended the sport and there is no question that this distinction belongs to the man who has given Fijian football a world identity.

The Siberia, Labasa native made huge strides since being introduced to the sport in 2007 and has grown tremendously.

His career leapfrogged after signing with Waitakere United in 2008 and in the 6 years, he scored 55 goals in 75 appearances and won the NZFC Golden Boot in the 2012–13 season

In September 2013, Krishna joined Waitakere’s local rivals Auckland City FC of the ASB Premiership season.

He scored Auckland City’s goal in a 2–1 defeat to Raja Casablanca in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup and became the first Fijian player to score at the finals of a FIFA tournament.

Krishna signed with the A-League’s Wellington Phoenix in 2014.

Krishna capped his A League tenure by winning the Johnny Warren Medal for being the best player of the Australian national soccer competition for the 2018–2019 season.

He debuted in the Indian Super League in 2019 after signing a one deal with ATK. He currently plays an optional year on a merger ATK Mohun Bagan.

Krishna, who scored the first goal for Fiji at the 2016 Olympics, was one of the leading scorers for ATK. He also scored the first goal for ATKMB in ISL 2020-21.

Edited by Simione Haravanua

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