Mesake Turuva capped his final year at Natabua High School with a commanding victory in the senior boys 400m at the school athletics meet yesterday, repeating the win he secured last year and helping Natabua maintain its strong showing at the HFC Bank Stadium.
Turuva arrived on the track with a visible pre-race ritual—running onto the surface, slapping both hands down and taking his marks—before powering away from a field that included sprinters from Ratu Kadavulevu School, Queen Victoria School, Nakasi High School, Khalsa College, Ratu Sukuna Memorial School and Lelean Memorial School. The Natabua athlete held off the challenge to claim the gold, mirroring the success of teammate Adi Ceva Lutumailagi, who won the senior girls 400m for the second successive year.
Speaking after the race, Turuva said closing his secondary-school career on a high was a major motivation. “Since this year is my final year, I just wanted to complete what has been a successful three years of competing at the HFC Bank Stadium and I am hoping to become a police officer,” he revealed, saying he aims to join the disciplined forces after finishing school.
Turuva thanked his family, coaches and supporters for their backing, and candidly described the sacrifices behind his performance. “Preparing and training was not easy, it was very challenging. However, I am thankful to the Lord for the determination, the lack of proper meals and sleep and waking up early in the morning,” he said, acknowledging the toll that early starts, limited rest and basic meals took during his preparation. He added that those sacrifices ultimately produced tangible rewards: “The effort to continue overtime has resulted in the fruits of hard work being reaped and I am just so thankful.”
Beyond the individual 400m triumph, Turuva was also a pivotal member of Natabua’s relay teams, contributing to the school’s overall track campaign at the meet. His double role—seasoned 400m runner and relay stalwart—underlined his importance to the squad in his final year of competition.
Natabua’s double success in the senior 400m events highlights the school’s continued strength in sprint events at the island’s premier athletics venue. Turuva’s back-to-back titles and Lutumailagi’s parallel win in the girls’ race will be seen as significant morale boosts for the school as several senior athletes finish their secondary-school careers and look ahead to the next stage, whether that is further studies, employment or, in Turuva’s case, a possible career in the police force.