Taina Basiyalo 
[Source: File]
A childhood dream may have changed, but it never disappeared.
For 23-year-old Sitiveni Konataci, representing Fiji once meant dreaming of wearing the Flying Fijians rugby jersey.
Today, he is proudly wearing the national colours as Fiji’s only para-athlete at the Commonwealth Games.
The Taveuni villager will compete in the men’s F64 discus throw, just six months after taking up the event.
His road to Glasgow has been filled with sacrifice, travelling four hours every day from his village to Suva for training while balancing village life and farming.
Konataci says despite the challenges, he never stopped believing in himself.
“I just keep telling myself nothing is impossible. Just keep working.”
A childhood injury while playing rugby at the age of five changed the course of his life and ended his hopes of one day playing rugby for Fiji.
But instead of giving up, he found a new dream.
After qualifying through the Oceania Championships earlier this year, Konataci booked his place at the Commonwealth Games, a remarkable achievement considering he only learnt to throw the discus at the beginning of the year.
Now adjusting to Scotland’s cooler weather and different time zone, the humble athlete says his goal is simple: to produce the performance he and his coaches have worked so hard for.
While he may be Fiji’s lone para-athlete at the Games, Konataci says the support from family, friends and his village reminds him he is carrying the hopes of an entire nation as he prepares to step into the competition circle next Wednesday.
You can watch the LIVE coverage of the Commonwealth Games on FBC.
