Marley Raikiwasa, an exceptional athlete of Fijian descent, has made significant strides in the athletics scene. Hailing from South Australia and with strong maternal ties to Fiji, she clinched the Bronze medal in the Discus Throw at the 2024 World Athletics Under-20 Championship in Lima, Peru, with an impressive throw of 56.25 meters.
At just 19 years old, Raikiwasa, representing the Australian athletics team, has contributed to Australia’s medal count in this prestigious championship. She is experienced in the World Athletics U20 Championships, having previously competed in 2022, where she finished ninth in the discus final. This year, she is competing in both the discus and shot put events, holding the Australian Under-20 record in shot put with a throw of 16.84 meters.
During the summer season, Raikiwasa’s performances were outstanding for her age, consistently recording throws of 48 meters before Christmas and regularly surpassing 50 meters in the new year. She also improved her personal best from 50.79 meters to 52.59 meters.
At the trials and the Australian U20 Championships, she secured second place, earning her spot on the Australian team for the World U20 Championships in Cali. Meanwhile, China’s Bingyang Han and Jingru Huang took home the Gold and Silver medals, respectively. The championship began on Tuesday and is set to conclude on Sunday.