THE Fiji Paralympics Committee (FPC) has made a bold challenge to the reigning blue ribbon champion and Pacific sprint king Banuve Tabakaucoro at this year's Coca-Cola Games.
The disabled body's hope for blue ribbon title in the senior boy's event at his year's Games lies on the shoulders of former Chow Games 100 metres champion, Sisari Vugakoto.
The committee eyes the former Sunshine Special Education School sprinter to spark their team of 33 athletes at National Stadium in Suva this weekend.
The team has eight athletes each from Gospel School for the Deaf and Lautoka Special School, seven from Suva Special School and five each from Hilton Special School and Fiji Vocational Training Centre.
Marching on with their slogan "Watch out Banuve if you are in my way," FPC senior sports project officer Saimoni Nainoca believes nothing is impossible.
The team, an increase from last year, hopes to draw inspiration from the successful 2011 sporting season, which saw their elite athlete, Iliesa Delana, qualify for the Paralympic Games.
"Sisari Vugakoto is a student of Ba Special School and has qualified from the Ba inter-house and zone meet. He will participate in the 100 and 200 metres sprint events," Nainoca said.
The disabled athletes that will be representing at the Games this year emerged from the Marist Brothers High School, John Wesley College, Nabua Secondary School, Lautoka Central College inter-houses alongside the Suva Zone Two meet.
Last year, Kevin Barr created the biggest upset at the Games after winning the gold in the junior boys shot put event final. He will be vying for gold in the similar discipline this year.
Chief organiser of the Games Vuli Waqa said they had not yet decided whether athletes with disability would receive medals if they won.
Last year Barr was denied gold for his win in the junior shot put.
The then Fiji Secondary Schools Athletics Association said they had an agreement with the FPC that their athletes could only participate.
Waqa said he still had to talk with Nainoca before making any decision.