Fiji’s Para-athlete Naibili Vatunisolo set a new Oceania record by throwing the shot put 9.19 meters during the Paris Paralympic Games at Stade de France last Thursday. Upon her return to Nadi Airport, Vatunisolo expressed her surprise at breaking the record, stating, “I was shocked when they told me that I had set the new Oceania record.” She noted that the rainy conditions made the shot put slippery and affected her performance.
Competing in a combined class of F42, F44, and F64 alongside 15 athletes, Vatunisolo finished in 10th place, acknowledging that her performance could have been better without the rain. Fellow athlete Selina Seau placed 14th in the same event. Vatunisolo’s personal best prior to this event was 9.05 meters.
The F42-44 classification includes athletes with lower limb deficiencies who compete without prostheses, while F61-64 is for those using prosthetics. Vatunisolo mentioned her hopes to take a break after the intense training and competitions, aiming to prepare for the 2025 World Championship and Palau Mini Games. She expressed a desire for more local athletes to compete, which could increase the standard and drive record-setting performances.
Earlier this year, Vatunisolo won gold in the women’s shot put Ambulatory Para Category at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, with a score of 77.75, and also earned a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She secured another bronze medal in shot put at the Sols23 with a throw of 7.97 meters.