Another First for Fiji, Thanks to Basketball Fiji and Government

Today will be another historic occasion as Fiji becomes the first island nation to host the FIBA-USP U19 Oceania Basketball Championship.

The championship at the Vodafone Arena in Laucala Bay, Suva, comes after the momentous visits by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jingping last month.

Any event that attracts international visitors, dignatories and sportsmen and sportswomen is a major boost for this country.

Basketball regarded as a minor sport here, has once again put Fiji in the spotlight with a major accomplishment.

The Tournament, which is mainly hosted in Australia and New Zealand, will for the first time under the new FIBA Oceania administration, be open to other Pacific Islands to host.

The tournament will feature teams from American Samoa, New Caledonia, PNG, Solomon Islands, Australia, Guam, New Zealand, Samoa, Tahiti and hosts Fiji.

Basketball Fiji Chief Operating Officer Laisiasa Puamau agrees that this is a huge achievement for a minor sports like Basketball.

And they could not have done it without the support of the Bainimarama Government which funded the refurbishment of the Vodafone Arena, and the Fiji National Sports Commission. The funds came from the Prime Minister's Office, which provided $225,000 for the running of the tournament.

Mr Puamau is grateful that the Government is supporting this event because without its support, they could not afford to host international tournaments.

It's a big stepping stone for us. We hope to gain leverage from this even and hope to be in a better position administration wise. The FIBA-USP U19 Oceania Basketball Championship is also a qualifying round for the 2015 World Championships.

Mr Puamau anticipates the competition level to be very competitive because teams are not just playing for the tournament but to qualify for the world champs.

The winner of the men's category will qualify for the World Championships which will be held in Greece and the winner of the women's divison will qualify for the World Championships in Russia.

Basketballl Fiji president Ioane Naivalurua and his team should be commended for organising the event.

And the least fans could do is be at the Vodafone Arena to support the teams.

While Australia and New Zealand are favourites to win, island nations should learn from the experience and return home with better players.

The experience is invaluable. It will help our young players prepare for the bigger interntaional stage.

 

<http://fijisun.com.fj/2014/12/01/another-first-for-fiji-thanks-to-basketball-fiji-and-government/>
December 01, 2014




Comments

Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.