GOLDEN girl of Fiji Karate Jasmine Rafiq starred at the 2012 Oceania Championship in Australia last week.
Two years on from her debut in the 2010 Oceania Championship in Tahiti, the Natabua High School student raised the bar in Sydney collecting two gold medals and a bronze.
In 2010 then aged 16, Rafiq won a gold medal in the female cadet under-47kg kumite.
Last week was a different story with Jasmine picking up gold medals in the senior female team kata and junior female kata. She bagged a bronze medal in the junior female kumite.
Younger sister Aisha also won a bronze medal in the cadet female U54kg kumite.
Team Fiji returned with a haul of 16 medals including two gold, three silver and 11 bronze medals.
Fiji coach Sensei Lemeki Lenoa said the young side had done the country proud.
He said eight athletes from the total of 18 made their debut in the Oceania Championship.
"We came third in the competition behind winner New Zealand and runner-up Australia," Lenoa said.
"For the young athletes it was a learning experience. They did their best. We are preparing for the 2014 Oceania Championship which we will be hosting. These guys have had the exposure. They have gathered a lot of knowledge."
"Next year we have a couple of international competitions. We will have the New Zealand and Australian Open. Then there will be the Fiji International. That's all in gearing up to the 2014 Oceania Championship."
Meanwhile national captain Pita Lenoa is likely to be ruled out of the World Championship in France in November. Pita sustained an injury while competing in the Oceania Championship.
"Pita has qualified for the World Championship but unfortunately he pulled couple of tendons in his shoulder during Oceania Championship," Lenoa said.
"He is ruled out for the next six to eight weeks and will be undergoing recovery. So looks like he is out of the world championship in November in Paris.
"The coaches will have a meeting this weekend. Our mentor Tony Hails from Sydney will be joining the meeting. Then we will figure out what training camps will be held.
"Coaches will always say that there is room for improvement. We have been invited by the Australian Institute of Sports to send some elite athletes there. So things are looking good."