2023 Coca-Cola Games Blue Ribbon champion Semesa Caginivalu of Suva Grammar School says an injury to his leg prior to start of the annual athletics event failed to deter him from winning the top honors at the HFC Bank Stadium on Friday.
Caginavalu, 19, of Nakavika Village in Namosi put the pain aside to run off a 10.90 seconds win in the 100 metres event.
“It started from before the Cokes, but i was not going to let it stop me,” Caginivalu said.
He said he trusted his training and the mentorship from his coaches to get the job done.
Caginivalu clocked the second-best time in the preliminaries and went one better to claim the win, saying he did it all for his grandmother.
“She was feeling sick and challenged me before the games for me to come back with a medal.
“This win is dedicated to her.”
Meanwhile fellow team-mate Ratu Alipate Vuiwakaya grabbed the silver medal with a time of 10.93 seconds while Mesulame Tuigau of Marist Brothers settled for the bronze medal with a time of 11.02 seconds.
