Meli Laddpeter 
More than 400 athletes gathered yesterday at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva to compete in the Central Division Athletics Qualifiers, the final qualifying event for the 2026 Coca-Cola Games.
Teams from as far as Rotuma, the western division, and even Vanua Levu took part in the event.
While the majority of athletes were aiming to secure qualification for the Coca-Cola Games, many others competed to have a feel of what to expect at the national competition next week.
Despite the rainy weather, events proceeded as scheduled.
There were also a strong presence of maritime schools in the qualifiers, with many athletes looking to familiarize themselves with the track at the HFC Bank Stadium before the main event.
The Coca-Cola Games will be held from Thursday to Saturday next week and will be broadcast live on FBC 2.
