Natabua dominates 400m finals

Natabua High School clinched the senior girls’ and boys’ 400 metres gold medals at the Fiji Finals (Coca-Cola Games) at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva today.

Cema Lutumailagi clocked 59.57 seconds to win the senior girls’ final, while Mesake Turuva finished in 49.13 seconds to claim the boys’ title.

Speaking to SUNsports, Lutumailagi said the victory was made possible through divine intervention.

“This win is for my parents because they supported me so well, took care of me and raised me to be a better person,” she said.

Asked about her motivation, she added: “I feel free when I’m running; all the problems I think of disappear.”

Lutumailagi said balancing training and studies had been challenging, particularly early morning sessions.

She hopes to pursue a career as a physiotherapist or a flight attendant.

Turuva said he aimed to finish his final year of high school with a gold medal at the Fiji Finals.
“That motivated me to do my best,” he said.

The 18-year-old hopes to become a professional rugby player like his cousin, Peceli Yato, who plays for USA Perpignan in France’s Top 14 competition.
“I want to play for the Nadroga Under-20 rugby team in this year’s Skipper Cup competition.

“If things don’t work out for me, I will try to become a police officer, which is my plan B.”

Relays dominate

Meanwhile, Queen Victoria School and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School dominated the boys’ and girls’ 4x100 metres relay finals.

Both schools won the sub-junior, junior and senior relay events, while Ratu Kadavulevu School and Adi Cakobau School claimed the intermediate boys’ and girls’ gold medals.

Fiji Secondary Schools Athletics Association general secretary Biu Colati said the race for the boys’ title remained open, while Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School was favoured to retain the girls’ title.

“I think any school that wants to win has to secure medals in the sprints and the remaining 4x400 metres relays,” Colati said.

“The schools that are close on the medal tally are strong in different areas, which makes it hard to predict the winner. It’s still anybody’s game.”