Suva (Fiji Times) – MAKERETA Naulu has more to be grateful for after the completion of the Melanesian Athletics Championships after her name has been entered as a special wild card submission for the Rio Olympics.
Naulu said she had filled the required forms after her time of 11.94 seconds in the 100 metres on Thursday showed Athletics Fiji that she was the most inform female athlete in the country.
The submission puts her in contention with SisiliaSeavula whose consistent track record places her as the best bet for the wild card or universality place.
Athletics Fiji chief development officer Joseph RodanJr said while they had made the submission, they could only wait for confirmation from IAAF on whether she would be selected over Seavula.
“The thing with Naulu is this is her first international sanctioned event. The Coca-Cola Games is not an internationally sanctioned event and so this official time shows that she is the most inform athlete for the women. Ever since Naulu performed well on Thursday, we have actually put her name as a submission for the wild card. The 11th is the deadline. All of what we did is we sent in the names.
“If it goes through FASANOC and accepted by IAAF, then she is in the inform athletes then her chances are pretty good. If it’s too late, then it will all go through the stakeholders and then Seavula will go through,” he said.
Naulu said she was happy with what she had been able to achieve especially seeing that she had been able to get a personal best.
“I just thank the Lord for the strength that He has given me to reach this stage,” Naulu said.
She is 17 years old and a student of AdiCakobau School. The Bua lass said she was grateful for the support of her family and would continue to train until official word had been received from Athletics Fiji on her participation in Rio.
Meanwhile Australia won the championships when it ended at the ANZ Stadium in Suva Saturday.
