Parental support and sacrifices were key to Waisale Inoke’s success in scooping Gold for Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School in the 100m final during the Coca-Cola Games on Friday.

Speaking to FBC News, Inoke says the transition from Sigatoka Methodist to Suva was difficult and he almost gave it all up to return to his hometown.

The MGM sprinter says the constant encouragement from his parents kept him going through in this time of struggle.

“Preparation was tough for the past months and weeks leading up to the Games. There were instances I wanted to give up and go back home to Sigatoka cause I miss my mom – but she’s always encouraging me to keep going.”

Inoke says words of encouragement from his father, Freddy Inoke, were ringing in his ears as he woke up early or trained late into the night before the Fiji Finals.

“I got so homesick, so much so, that my mom had to come from Sigatoka to stay with me in Suva cause it was hard for me to adjust to the environment in a small town to Suva.”

He now has his sight on next year’s regional athletics meet.

“I’m ready again to start training because I have a competition coming up next month and obviously I’m aiming for next year’s Pacific Games.”

Inoke’s win has put MGM on the country’s largest inter-secondary meet map; as a school to look out for in the future Fiji Finals.