Former Fiji baseball player Inoke Niubalavu recently represented his country as an official at the 2024 Baseball5 World Cup held in Hong Kong, China. During the tournament, he officiated the bronze medal match between France and Venezuela after overseeing 15 pool matches as an umpire, utilizing an online scoring application throughout the week-long event.
Reflecting on his experience at the international competition, Niubalavu expressed happiness at the rapid growth of Baseball5, a sport he has been involved with since 2019. Baseball5 is a blend of baseball and softball, played with five players on each side.
Niubalavu’s connection to the sport dates back to 2002 when he attended the MLB Australian Academy and was selected to represent Fiji at the Pacific Games the following year. He emerged as a leader in those games, achieving a .529 batting average and scoring six runs. He went on to represent Fiji again at the 2007 and 2011 Pacific Games in Samoa and New Caledonia, respectively.
In 2009, his role within the sport transitioned from playing to decision-making as he became the development officer for the Fiji Islands Baseball Association. Niubalavu’s rising prominence at the international level positions him to play a crucial role in the sport’s development, with the national body aiming for the next World Cup in Italy in 2026.