The difficulty of getting quality training equipment may be quite exacerbated, but this did not deter Thomas Baker Memorial School’s Lilieta Buna from snatching a gold medal at the Fiji Finals yesterday.

Buna proved that despite those complicated training environments, one can still get an ideal preparation to attain a medal at any prestigious sporting event.

The Nokonoko, Navosa Villager defied all odds to come first in the Junior Girls 1,500 meters event.

Speaking to FBC Sports, Buna says the pain and struggles endured over the past months of preparation have paid off.

“I’m proud of myself. I want to thank my family members and coach for their never-ending support until today.”

The Year 10 student says the training was intense in the highlands, considering the geographical situation over the area.

“We used to train and run through the mountains and rugged terrains early in the morning and afternoon. Today, I have no regrets.”

Meanwhile, Gladness Simpson of Ratu Luke Memorial High School came behind Buna claiming silver, and Katie Pattie of Natabua High School won bronze.