THREE disabled athletes left Fiji last night with hopes of achieving their personal best when they compete in the Queensland State Athletics Championships in Australia next week.
The competition would be the first international outing for the three athletes and they are confident of a good performance.
Sainimili Naivalu and Varayame Naikolevu, who are both wheelchair bound, would compete in the seated shot put and Naikolevu would also get a shot at the javelin event.
Sili Yabaki will compete in the 400m and 800m events. He said it would be the first time he would run on rubber track and he looked forward to the experience.
"I have been running on grass here in Fiji so I hope I would be able to run faster on the rubber tracks," the 26 year-old Moala, Lau lad said through Naivalu.
Naivalu said her personal best throw in Fiji had been 3.4 metres and she hope to throw over 3.5 metres in Brisbane.
"We have been training here in Fiji for the past few months and we have also competed in the Athletics Fiji organised weekly competition," the 27 year old said.
"But competing overseas would be a different story as the competition would be a lot tougher and the atmosphere would be very different compared to Fiji," the Dakui Beqa lass said.
Team manager Sarote Fiu said the side would have one day (Monday) to adjust to the competition venue since the event starts on Tuesday.
"Competition ends on March 28 but we will return home on March 31," she said.