The Fiji Secondary School’s Athletics Association has attributed the delay in the track and field events at Day One of the 2024 Coca-Cola Games to a number of reasons.

Meet Director and FSSAA acting secretary Biu Colati says that one of the reasons was the large number of entries into various track and field events, which created a backlog, with some heats having 6 to 7 heats.

Colati adds however that one event that really impressed him, despite being held for over four hours was the Intermediate boy’s high jump.

The meet Director says the event, which was eventually won by Ratu Isoa Vuniamatana of Swami Vivekanandan College, started at 2pm and ended at 6:30pm, when he was the only athlete remaining and trying to break the record of 2.01 meters, which was set 12 years ago by Malakai Kaiwalu of Xavier College.

“We were so surprised as well to note that they were jumping 1.8m, and there were still 16 athletes still jumping. Even though we were happy about the achievement, the quality of performance that they were into, there was no way we could eliminate them.”

Colati has branded the athletes who took part in the event as quality athletes who performed very well.