Taina Basiyalo 
Source: Oceania Athletics / Facebook
Melania Turaga is poised to play a key role in Fiji’s athletics campaign at this year’s Pacific Mini Games, where she will line up in the women’s 4×400 metres relay alongside Heleina Young, Vilorina Naibena and Adi Ceva Lutumailagi.
The former Jasper Williams High School middle-distance runner is currently based at Neosho Community College in Kansas, USA, under the ONOC-OSFO Scholarship programme.
Since moving to the United States, Turaga has shown strong form on the track and will be a valuable addition to the national relay team as they look to challenge the region’s top contenders.
Turaga recently set a new Fiji national indoor women’s 800 metres record with a time of 2.23s in her debut season with Neosho.
Though impressive, it still falls short of her personal best of 2:19.34s—set during the 2018 Coca-Cola Games—which ranks her ninth on Fiji’s all-time list in the women’s 800 metres.
Joining her at Neosho are fellow ONOC-OSFO Scholarship recipients Rusiate Matai, Waisele Inoke and her relay teammate Naibena, creating a strong pipeline of Fijian talent currently honing their skills in the U.S. collegiate system.
As the Pacific Mini Games draw closer, all eyes will be on Turaga and her teammates to see if their overseas training experience can translate into podium success for Team Fiji.
The Pacific Mini Games starts on the 29th of this month in Koror, Palau.
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