The Team Fiji contingent to the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa is fortunate to have former star athletes as coaches and mentors.
Chef de Mission, Lyndall Fisher says the 47 athletes who will represent the country in seven sports during the meet have gained valuable advice from their coaches such as former Pacific sprint queen, Makalesi Batimala, former swimming champion, Sharon Smith and weightlifter, Joe Vueti.
“Luckily for a lot of the sports, some of the coaches like for athletics, Makelesi (Batimala) is the coach, so there’s former athletes and I think they have been really good mentors. Like Sharon (Smith) is a previous swimmer and Joe Vueti for weightlifting so the kids have seen how the coaches have come a long way.”
The squad was hosted to a farewell lunch at the Suva Bowling Club yesterday and will depart for Samoa on Friday with the Commonwealth Youth Games to open the following day.
Fiji will be competing in sevens rugby, archery, swimming, tennis, weightlifting, athletics and squash.
