“I wanted to quit the sport, but my family had my back and pushed me to continue,” she said.
Naibili Vatunisolo. Photo: FASANOC
Para athlete Naibili Vatunisolo has been juggling her studies and training to compete at her third Pacific Mini Games in Koror, Palau next month.
The 34-year-old Balenabelo, Nadroga, woman will be competing in the javelin and shot put events.
“I’m currently enrolled at Fiji National University (FNU) Nasese campus and doing the front office and reservation course,” she said.
“At times, I miss training because I’m juggling training and studies. I attend training when I don’t have classes.”
Vatunisolo sets a target to record a personal best in both her events.
“I wanted to quit the sport, but my family had my back and pushed me to continue,” she said.
“My coach Fred Fatiaki also motivated to keep pushing on.”
Background
Vatunisolo was Fiji’s flagbearer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where she also won a bronze medal in discus throw F42-44/61-64 with a throw of 23.70m.
In November 2023, during the Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands, she won the bronze medal in the F6-10 javelin throw with a throw of 20.97m.
Vatunisolo won a gold medal in shot put, silver medal in javelin, and bronze medal in discus, at the 2024 Oceania Para Athletics Championships. She also competed at last year’s Paralympics in Paris, France.
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