Fiji’s Naibili Vatunisolo made history by setting a new Oceania record in shot put at the Paris Paralympic Games, throwing 9.19 metres last Thursday at Stade de France. Upon her arrival at Nadi Airport yesterday, Vatunisolo expressed her surprise at achieving the record, stating, “I was shocked when they told me that I had set the new Oceania record.” Despite the rainy conditions that made the shot put slippery, she remained determined.
Competing in a combined class that included F42, F44, and F64 athletes, Vatunisolo secured a 10th place finish among 15 competitors. She noted that her performance could have been better without the rain. Fellow athlete Selina Seau finished in 14th place. Vatunisolo’s previous personal best had been 9.05m.
The classifications indicate that F42-44 competitors have lower limb impairments without prosthetics, while F61-64 competitors use prosthetics. Vatunisolo mentioned her hopes for more local competitors to join in, as increased competition could lead to further record-breaking performances.
She has had a successful year, winning gold in the women’s shot put Ambulatory Para Category earlier this year at the HFC Bank Stadium with a score of 77.75, along with a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and another bronze at the Sols23 with a 7.97m throw. After a long training and competition session, she plans to take a break before preparing for the upcoming 2025 World Championship and Palau Mini Games.