Seventeen-year-old Faith Agnes Khelan dug deep to take gold in the J19 500m sprints final at the Wai Tui International 2026 in Wailoaloa, Nadi, overcoming a difficult start and leaning on her faith to power across the line. The USP Highlanders Canoe Club paddler, a Year 12 student at Jai Narayan College, produced a late surge to claim top spot in yesterday’s final.
Khelan admitted the race did not begin how she hoped, saying the start was “tough” and that she had to battle early struggles against a strong field. Despite that setback she refused to give in, finding the strength to push through the middle stages and take the lead when it mattered most. “It was a really good push from the other girls, I really felt it,” she said after the race.
In the heat of the competition, Khelan said her faith became decisive. “In my head I said, ‘God, if it’s your will, you will help me push,’” she recalled, adding she gives “all the glory and honour to God” for the strength to finish. The paddler also thanked her parents and family for their support, acknowledging the role of her immediate circle in her development and on-the-day performance.
The win adds to Khelan’s growing profile as an emerging junior paddler balancing senior secondary studies with elite competition. Representing the USP Highlanders Canoe Club, her breakthrough at Wai Tui International 2026 is the latest highlight in a youth-focused regatta that brought together promising young athletes from across the region.
Coaches and club members lauded Khelan’s resilience and composure under pressure, pointing to the race as evidence of her mental toughness as much as physical fitness. For Khelan, the result is a confidence booster as she heads back to studies at Jai Narayan College and prepares for further competitions in the junior ranks.
As the Wai Tui regatta continues to showcase up-and-coming talent, Khelan’s gold in the J19 500m stands out for the combination of determination, family backing and faith she says fuelled her finish. The performance will be watched with interest by those tracking Fiji’s next generation of canoeists.
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