MGM High completed a hat-trick of girls division titles and Queen Victoria School ended a 33-year wait for boys honours as the 51st Coca-Cola Games concluded in dramatic fashion at a packed HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. The two school powerhouses were crowned champions on the final day of the “golden games”, capping an athletics carnival that brought top young talent to the nation’s capital.
MGM High’s victory in the girls division marked their third straight championship, with Adi Cakobau School finishing second after a series of tightly contested events. MGM’s campaign featured several standout performers, with Lydia Waqairapoa, Sera Nasilivata and the meet’s best female athlete, Veniana Ranadi, singled out for dominant displays that helped secure the title.
In the boys division, Queen Victoria School (QVS) produced the headline story of the meet by snapping a three-decade-plus championship drought. The QVS triumph — described by letter-writer Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam as the end of a 33-year wait — was attributed to sustained off-season preparation and unity within the squad. Coach Banuve Tabakaucoro was credited with steering the side to victory and dedicated the result to the hard work and consistency of his athletes, according to observers at the stadium.
Josese Murimurivalu emerged as one of the carnival’s most eye-catching performers. His 200m run, highlighted in eyewitness accounts, galvanized the QVS camp and shifted momentum in their favour on a pivotal day. Murimurivalu’s sprinting display drew praise from pundits at the venue, who called him a “star in the making” after a finish that helped lift team morale at a crucial juncture.
The atmosphere across the weekend was electric, with the HFC Bank Stadium filled to capacity. Spectators from around the country turned out in force to watch the nation’s best school athletes compete, creating what one commentator described as a “kaleidoscope of colours” as competitors paraded in team colours and supporters cheered on track and field events.
Beyond the title results, the Games highlighted the depth of Fiji’s school athletics and the role of structured preparation in producing success. QVS’s strategic planning and off-season work were cited as key factors in displacing the defending boys champions, who chased close behind in a gripping finish. For MGM, three consecutive girls titles underlines their continued dominance in female school athletics.
The 51st Coca-Cola Games once again showcased rising talent and reaffirmed the event’s central place in Fiji’s sporting calendar. With names such as Murimurivalu and Ranadi now prominent from the finals, selectors and clubs will be watching as these athletes move on from school competition toward wider regional and national opportunities.