Roela Kaloumaira [left] and Iowane Viani

Many secondary school athletes compete in their respective inter-houses to try and qualify for the zone meet before making it to the Coca Cola Games.

Imagine getting through all the processes and sacrificing so much and just to see your competitors starting the race without you at the Coke Games.

This was what happened to Namosi Secondary School’s Roela Kaloumaira two years ago.

The youngster who again won the Suva Zone 1 open girls 3000 metres event yesterday is hoping to finally run at the Coca Cola Games this year.

Kaloumaira qualified for the Fiji Finals in 2019 but didn’t get to run even though she was at the ANZ Stadium that day.

The 16-year-old says she was a bit late and was on her way to compete, however, was just meters away from the start line when the race started.

She adds she was looking forward to make amends last year but the pandemic got in the way.

Yesterday after finishing first in the girls event with a time of 12:22:16 seconds, Kaloumaira says she’ll not make the same mistake this year and will try to win a medal at the Fiji Finals.

Just like Kaloumaira, another Namosi Secondary School athlete, Iowane Viani is after the intermediate boys gold medal at Fiji’s biggest athletics meet.

Viani claimed the gold medal in the open boys 3000m yesterday.

It was his second gold after winning the intermediate boys 15000m on Monday.

Viani who won the sub-junior boys 15000m event at the Coca Cola Games in 2018 says he needs to do more this year.

Namosi Secondary School extended its lead on both the girls and boys Suva Zone 1 medal tally.

In the girls division Namosi leads with 4 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze.

Looking at the boy’s category, Namosi is at the top with 3 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze.

The Suva Zone 1 meet continues today and you can catch the action LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on FBC Sports channel on Walesi.