For Suva Grammar School middle-distance runner Manoa Puamau, competing in athletics has been a story of inspiration.
After watching his elder brother Sekope Puamau win the silver medal for Jai Narayan College during the 2018 Coca-Cola Games, Manoa, then 12, was a student of Veiuto Primary School.
He was a newcomer to athletics, but there was an obstacle for the Nasaqalau Village, Lakeba, Lau native.
He was chubby then and did not have the right built for a track athlete.
That did not stop him.
“I was playing rugby back then,” Manoa said.
“Because I was big, I played prop for my school and the under-13 Suva Kaji team. I was inspired by watching my elder brother run.”
He is named after his father.
“At first they laughed at him including the coaches when they heard that he wanted to comoete in athleteics, but after a while they realised that he was serious,” his father said.
“That is an important time for parents when we realise the goals our children set, and we have to make the decision to help our children achieve their dreams,”
Now at 15, Manoa has since been guided by former Fiji athletics representative Jone Delai.
He set the sub junior boys 1500 metres zone record with a time of 4.57 minutes in the Suva Zone Two competition earlier this year. While stuck at home because of CoVID-19, Manoa continues to train and study and help around the house.
“I just study at home and help my family with chores which include babysitting my three-month-old cousin sister Anna Puamau.
“I look forward to the start of school again to resume running,” Manoa Jr said.
