Kalesi Tawake is the younger sister of Fijiana captain Bitila Tawake.

Switching from basketball to netball was a huge move for Fiji Pearls rep Kalesi Tawake.

The young 20-year-old’s elder sister, Fijiana Drua captain Bitila Tawake also played basketball before making a switch to rugby union.

Tawake will debut tomorrow for the Pearls against Papua New Guinea in the Netball World Cup Oceania Qualifier and says she is happy to be given the opportunity.

“I was full on with basketball and then before COVID, I was in Australia and I didn’t play basketball at all. I was just playing netball there- playing a bit of basketball and then, this year I played for Super Club and then I got called into the national squad so I’ve been training since then”

She adds that she’s happy to be playing and learning from some of the best.

“ It’s exciting, building up for qualifiers it hasn’t been easy for me because I’ve been juggling school as well and training as well as my duties at home but I’m very excited to play with these girls because they were once my role models and now I get to play with them”

Fiji will face PNG tomorrow at the Vodafone Arena in Suva at 5.30pm.

In the second match, Samoa plays Tonga.