ATHLETICS Fiji is aiming for a minimum of 12 gold medals at the 2019 Samoa Pacific Games.
Association manager Joseph Rodan said the athletes needed to train hard to make the qualifying times in order for the goals to be achieved.
“Athletics Fiji hopes to achieve a minimum of 12 gold medals from the targeted 19 athletes that we will be taking.
“We have more than 19 athletes qualifying under the A standards and we will definitely select them in the squad which will be even more encouraging,” said Rodan.
Rodan said athletes would be strictly selected on A standard qualifying times.
“The crop of athletes that we will target needs to be A standard qualifiers as our goal is to achieve no less than 12 medals out of the Samoa Pacific Games.
“We have set our qualifying standards high solely because we believe over the past four years athletes and their coaches have been given enough time for development and the association has done a lot to ensure good overseas exposure to many athletes,” said Rodan.
“This is the Pacific Games and only the best of the best that prove their worth and consistency throughout the buildup will be picked,” Rodan added.
So far a few athletes have made it into the A grade qualifying time but Fiji Athletics will be closely monitoring the athletes’ consistency and training.
