Former Jasper Williams High School student Melania Turaga has seen her athletic career take a transformative turn with a prestigious scholarship.
The scholarship from the Oceania Australia Foundation and Oceania National Olympic Committee will allow the 20-year-old athlete to train in the USA and take advantage of superior facilities.
Despite her early passion for rugby, it was the encouragement from her family and the influence of her coach, Makelesi Bulikiobo, that steered her towards athletics.
“Athletics was not my first choice as a young girl as I was more into rugby, but through the encouragement of my family, I realized that I had a talent for athletics, and it helped that I had support from some athletic greats like my coach Makelesi Bulikiobo.”
“This scholarship is a huge blessing not only for me but also my family,” said the Ra native.
The scholarship will enable Turaga to attend Neosho College, where she aims to balance her sporting ambitions with academic pursuits, particularly in Sustainable Energy.
“While athletics has helped me get to this point, I understand that I will need to work hard to not only excel in sports but also in my studies, and I hope to make the most of my time at Neosho College.”
Turaga is joined by 2023 Pacific Games High Jump gold medallist Rusiate Matai, who also received the scholarship.
Athletes like Kaiava Francis, Younis Bese, and Fane Sauvakacolo have benefitted from the joint Oceania Australia Foundation and Oceania National Olympic Committees Scholarship.