Story by: Athletics Fiji (10/02/2025)
Former Balata College student and Pacific Games gold medalist Rusiate Matai set a new personal best and a new indoor national record in the Men’s High Jump with an impressive leap of 2.10m. The previous record was held by Harold Nair (1.68m) and stood for 17 years.
Matai attempted 2.13m but was unsuccessful. This places him 2nd in the nation for the 2025 NJCAA Indoor Rankings after competing at the 2025 Bearcat Invite, Maryville Missouri last Friday (07/02/2025).
College team mate Waisele Inoke also turned in a record performance in the same competition, setting a new indoor national record of 4410 points in the Men’s Heptathlon. The old record was also held by Harold Nair that was set back in 2008.
Inoke’s performance ranks him at No. 12 for the 2025 NJCAA Indoor Rankings.
Female counter parts Vilorina Tuilawaki and Melania Turaga have also turned in strong performances this indoor season. In her first indoor season, Melania Turaga ran a new 800m indoor personal best of 2:25.78s, coming close to Ana Kaloucava’s Indoor National Record of 2:24.18s (2014).
While sophmore Vilorina Tuilawaki ran an impressive 1:38.51s in the Women’s Indoor 600m that has ranked No. 18 in the nation for the 2025 NJCAA Indoor Rankings.
Former Neosho Community College athlete, Joana Vakasobuduru has also turned in some impressive performances competing for her new school Central Methodist. Her indoor season’s best include a 5.45m in the long jump, 3355 points in the pentathlon, a 1.56m in the high jump and a 9.13s in the 60m hurdles which is only 0.03s off of the Indoor National record held by Fane Sauvakacolo.
In a separate competition, long distance wonder boy Yeshnil Karan posted a 14:40.08s to win the Men’s 5000m run at the 2025 Sally Pearson Shield competition in Brisbane, Australia. Karan’s performance see’s him qualify for the 2025 Pacific Mini Games and ranked No. 1 in Fiji (5000m) in 2025.
