RODNEY DUTHIE
Sunday, January 27, 2008
ATHLETICS Fiji is adamant that the continued fine performances of its elite athletes will help boost numbers at this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing.
With only Makelesi Bulikiobo ticked to participate at the world meet, AF is now looking to three of its top athletes to join the Suva Grammar School teacher.
Track champs Iliesa Namosimalua and Niko Verekauta, together with javelin thrower Leslie Copeland, are closing in quickly on qualifying times.
The three and Bulikiobo are participating at the Australian Athletics Grand Pix with the hope of meeting the times.
Namosimalua and Verekauta compete in the 200 metres and 400metres and need to meet the qualifying time of 45.98seconds.
Verekauta, who won gold medals at both events at the South Pacific Games, ran 46.2seconds during his semi-final finish at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Copeland is five metres shot of the qualifying mark of 78 metres. AF secretary Albert Miller said there was “plenty of time” left for the athletes to qualify for the Olympics.
“It’s only a matter of getting in the right condition and they have plenty of time on their hand,” Miller said.
“Reading from their past results the other day, they’re not doing too bad.”
Bulikiobo, Namosimalua and Copeland, who are training in Brisbane, have been selected to participate and race this weekend in the Canberra Athletics Classic Meet against the top athletes from Australia and New Zealand.
For Verekauta, making the time was something not out of his reach. “Nothing is impossible and I am confident of qualifying for the Olympics,” Verekauta said.
“To represent Fiji and to compete there with distinction by doing a personal best time is my aim for 2008.”
The 2007 Oceania Grand Prix overall winner has been backed by Athletics Fiji’s Jo Rodan.
Rodan said Verekauta had great potential and should make the qualifying time.
“Niko has been one of the best athletes Fiji has produced in recent years and he has the mix of a very good runner,” Rodan said.
"I believe he will be able to make the cut and he should even be able to do a low 45 seconds which is 45.1 or 45.2.
“He is a world class athlete and the training and the environment he is in is helping him get better.”
Rodan said there was still time to go and if Verekauta does not make the qualifying mark, he still has a chance to get in through wild card entry.
The 2008 Olympics will be held over August 8-24.