Mataiasi Stark 
[Source: Supplied]
Team Fiji Chef de Mission Ajay Balu says preparations are progressing steadily as the country builds toward this year’s Commonwealth Games.
Having previously led delegations to major international events, Balu understands the scale of responsibility that comes with managing athletes on the global stage.
From ensuring logistics run smoothly to prioritising athlete welfare, he says the role goes beyond competition alone.
“Very exciting, actually. The Solomons Games were a big one, we had about 510 officials and athletes. That was huge for me, because we had four GMs and we had to look after everybody. Going safe, coming back safe, that’s a big part for me.”
For the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Fiji’s delegation is expected to be significantly smaller, though numbers may still change in the lead-up to departure.
“This one, we have about 72 at the moment, we may be going down, we don’t know, depending on how we are.”
Balu added that several athletes are expected to undertake overseas training programs before the Games begin.
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