At the age of 15, Iris Rae Fisher, is representing Fiji at the upcoming Pacific Mini Games in Koror, Palau from June 29 to July 9.

Iris will be competing in Va’a (outrigger canoeing). She is also part of a dedicated group that has trained relentlessly over the past few months, preparing for multiple challenging events including sprints, marathons and turn races.

The journey began with more than 60 hopefuls, but as selection got tightened, the team was narrowed down to 11 women and two non-travelling reserves for each division. For Iris, making the final cut was both a triumph and a turning point in her young sporting career.

“The preparations have been really hard,” she told SUNsports.

“Each event requires different techniques, mental focus and cramming that into such a short training period have definitely been a challenge. But we’ve taken it on as a team, and I think we’ve done well.”

Iris is looking forward not just to racing, but to sharing the experience with team-mates who have become her close friends.

“We’ve bonded with people I wouldn’t normally talk to. Now we’re like a family, and I can’t wait to make more memories with them,” she said.

Balancing life as an athlete and student hasn’t been easy. Iris has opted for online schooling to accommodate the intense training schedule. This is the path many of her teammates has also taken, especially with the team made up of both juniors and adults.

“Online has worked pretty well for me. It gives me flexibility to train and stay on top of my studies,” she added.

Feedback: ioane.asioli@fijisun.com.fj