Taveuni athlete targets comeback

Maria Ramarama of Holy Cross College in Taveuni hopes to come back stronger at next year’s Fiji Secondary Schools Athletics Finals.

The 15-year-old from Koroivonu, Cakaudrove, failed to reach the final of the junior girls’ high jump but remains optimistic.

“I’m proud of my performance as I did my best,” Ramarama said.

“I want to thank my coaches for their guidance, and I’ll try again next year.”

She said it was her first time competing at a major sporting event.

“It’s a new experience for me being in a different environment. I was a spectator at the Coke Games when I was six years old, and being at the stadium as a participant was a totally new experience.”

Ramarama said she would focus on her off-season training.

“I need to do more drills on speed and jumping techniques. Win or lose, we need to be proud of our performance and not lose courage,” she said.