In the vibrant center of Hong Kong, the 2024 Baseball5 World Cup reached an exciting finale, featuring a well-known figure from the South Pacific.
Inoke Niubalavu, a former star player for Fiji’s national baseball team, took on a new responsibility as he officiated the bronze medal match between France and Venezuela. Throughout the week-long competition, he participated in 15 pool games, utilizing an online scoring application to maintain records in the second edition of the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup.
Niubalavu’s journey from the baseball fields of Fiji to the global arena of Baseball5 highlights the sport’s increasing international popularity and the opportunities it offers to enthusiastic individuals worldwide.
His baseball career began in the early 2000s when he joined the MLB Australian Academy in 2002. His talent quickly shone through, establishing him as a vital player for the Fijian national team. At the 2003 South Pacific Games, Niubalavu displayed his prowess by achieving a remarkable .529 batting average and scoring six runs, surpassing all his teammates. He subsequently represented Fiji at the Pacific Games in Samoa in 2007 and again in New Caledonia in 2011.
As his playing career advanced, Niubalavu’s commitment to the sport intensified. By 2009, he transitioned into the role of Development Officer for the Fiji Islands Baseball Association, marking the start of his progression from player to sports administrator.
Looking towards the future, Niubalavu is dedicated to the growth of Baseball5 in Fiji. With the sport’s debut scheduled for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, he is keen to prepare Fiji’s youth Baseball5 team for the upcoming qualifiers. As Baseball5 continues to expand, with the next World Cup planned for Italy in 2026 and an increase in participants to 16 teams, Niubalavu’s dual role as a national leader and international official positions him at the forefront of the sport’s development.