Queen Victoria School is preparing to punch above its weight at next week’s Fiji Finals, with principal Waliki Nasau saying the traditional boarding school has quietly built momentum and is aiming to “rise to another level” at the Coca‑Cola Games. Speaking after the Tailevu Zone meet, Nasau framed the campaign as an underdog push to better last year’s showing and move further up the leaderboard.
“Our aim is to improve on last year’s performance and hopefully go one step further,” Nasau said, conceding that the path will not be easy given the strength of Suva’s schools. He singled out rivals such as Marist Brothers High School and Suva Grammar School as benchmark opponents, saying QVS recognises the level of competition it will face at the national meet.
The latest development in QVS’s preparations, Nasau added, is a deliberate strengthening of coaching structures that began last year and is now delivering results. “The focus has not only been on performance but also on strengthening our coaching structures, and the work that started last year is now paying off,” he told Times Sport. That investment in coaching is being positioned as the foundation for steady technical and competitive improvement across events.
Coaches at QVS have honed in on specific areas where the school believes gains can be made, with an intensified focus on middle‑distance races and field events as the Games approach. Nasau said staff are prioritising consistency in jumps and throws while making sure middle‑distance runners are properly prepared for the rounds and tactical demands of a high‑pressure meet. “The coaches are working closely with the boys to improve consistency, especially in jumps and throws, while ensuring our middle‑distance runners are well prepared,” he said.
A further asset for QVS, Nasau stressed, is a cohort of experienced teachers who have long understood the demands of the Coca‑Cola Games. “Our teachers are our main weapon. Many have been part of the system for years and know what is best for the students,” he said, noting that some athletes also bring Games experience and familiarity with the event’s intensity. That institutional memory, he argued, helps in race planning, technical coaching and managing young athletes’ nerves.
Nasau credited a broad community effort for laying the groundwork of the current campaign. Coaches, teaching staff, old boys and parents have all been involved in preparation, he said, providing both technical support and the resources needed to sustain training. With preparations intensifying in the final days before the Fiji Finals, QVS is positioning itself to deliver a competitive showing and to challenge for higher honours in what remains Fiji’s flagship secondary‑schools athletics competition.
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