Shawntell Lockington Moves Bar Up

After a record breaking performance at the 2019 Coca- Cola Games, Xavier College’s golden girl Shawntell Lockington was happy to have completed her high school year on a high note.

Shawntell had broken a six-year old record in the senior girl’s high jump final. She jumped 1.68m to surpass the standing record 1.65m.

In 2017, Shawntell won a gold medal in her first ever high jump event when she smashed a 32-year-old record in the junior girl’s grade.

Now that her high school year is coming to an end she hopes to continue working hard and looking forward to compete at international level while at the same time she hopes to pursue her dream of becoming a cabin crew with our national airline Fiji Airways.

SUN: What’s your current position? How long have you been in this position? Can you give me a brief overview of what it is you do in your work?

SHAWNTELL: I am currently a Form 7 student at Xavier College and have been associated with the school since Form 1.

SUN: What would you say most motivates you to do what you do? What are you most excited or passionate about? What are the goals you most want to accomplish in your work? Not so much the goals that are in your job description, but the goals you hold personally?

SHAWNTELL: I think what motivates me the most is hard work and commitment that I put into my training. That always pushes me to keep striving for better performances.

And as far as my goals are concerned I wish to continue on representing Fiji at international events and do my country proud.

Shawntell Lockington jumps over the bar during the senior girls high jump event.

SUN: As an active woman involved in sports and, how do you see or analyze the role of women in sports specifically in Fiji and how important is it to encourage more women taking up roles in various sporting federations?

SHAWNTELL: From my perspective as a young woman I think women should be encouraged to take up sports because the society that we live in has a typical mindset of where majority feel sports is mostly male dominated, which not true.

We women have the potential in us to lead the way for any sports and it’s great to see that culture is changing recently.

SUN: What’s next for you?

SHAWNTELL: What are you looking forward to? What gives me a sense of hope is my talent which I’m grateful to the Almighty God for blessing me with. As far as my future endeavors is concerned I wish to continue with my sporting life and also further my studies in trying to accomplish a secured career for myself.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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