Ratu Kadavulevu School has signalled its intent to move up the leaderboard at this year’s Coca‑Cola Games after a lively inter‑house athletics meet at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium on Wednesday that coach Sekove Vadei says revealed both promise and room for improvement.
The prominent Tailevu boarding school, which finished fourth at last year’s national secondary schools championships, used the inter‑house competition as a dress rehearsal for the imminent zone meets that determine qualification and seeding for the Coca‑Cola Games. Vadei, the school’s athletics head coach, said the show of form from his athletes gave him confidence that RKS can better last year’s result, but stressed the coaching team will be tightening preparations in the weeks ahead.
“I was pleased with the overall performances throughout the day,” Vadei said after the meet at HFC Bank Stadium. “We know what we need to do for us to be better than last year, and the boys have been working hard. They are all excited for the zone and Coca‑Cola Games, so we’re calling out to all our supporters to come out in numbers again this year.” He added that coaches would “return to the drawing board” to work on specific technical and tactical areas identified during the inter‑house events.
The inter‑house meet doubled as a final opportunity for athletes to test their form under stadium conditions. Families, supporters and a strong contingent of old scholars filled parts of the stands, Vadei acknowledged, and the turnout drew thanks from the coaching staff who said the backing was important in building the athletes’ competitive spirit. He urged the RKS community to maintain its vocal presence at both the zone meet and the national finals.
Ratu Kadavulevu’s preparations are now set to intensify. While the school’s programme team did not name individual athletes in their post‑meet comments, Vadei indicated that training will focus on fine‑tuning starts, exchanges and endurance — common areas that separate podium contenders from the rest at the Coca‑Cola Games. The forthcoming zone meet will provide a clearer picture of how those adjustments translate into season‑best performances and qualification status.
The Coca‑Cola Games remain Fiji’s premier secondary schools athletics carnival, and last year’s fourth‑place finish placed RKS among the leading programmes in the country. Vadei’s assessment following today’s inter‑house suggests the school believes it has the depth and developing talent to challenge higher‑placing rivals, provided the planned improvements are delivered in the coming weeks.
With zone competitions approaching, RKS will now shift into the final phase of meet‑specific training and tactical rehearsals. The school’s appeal for strong supporter turnout underlines a familiar truth in Fijian school sport: community backing can be as influential as any training session when young athletes step onto the national stage.
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