Naibili Vatunisolo

Naibili Vatunisolo (born 31 October 1990) is a Fijian disabled athlete , specialist in javelin and shot put . She was a bronze medalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games .[1]

Career

change

Naibili Vatunisolo started disabled sports after knee surgery in 2010. [2] In 2019, she won her first international gold medal at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, in shot put .[3][4]

She qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games , She served as flag bearer with Lawn Bowler Semesa Naiseruvati in the opening ceremony [5] She won a bronze medal in discus throw F42-44/61-64 with a throw of 23.70  metres, behind the Nigerian Goodness Chiemerie Nwachukwu (36.56  m ) and the Australian Sarah Edmiston (34.96  metres ).[6][7][8] In September 2022, a few weeks after the Games, she was ranked No. 1 in shot put and javelin category F42 and No. 2 in discus throw F42 [9] She was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Pacific Mini-Games  where she won gold in the standing javelin throw  .[10][11]

In November 2023, during the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands , she won the bronze medal in the F6-10 javelin throw with a throw of 20.97  metres behind the Caledonian Rose Vandegou (25.45  metres ) and Selina Sandy Bucket (18.08  metres). [12]

References

change
  1. "Home of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games". Commonwealth Games - Birmingham 2022. Retrieved 2024-05-08.[permanent dead link]
  2. Reporter, I. B. (2023-05-09). "Disability is not a barrier". Fiji Traveller. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  3. "Fiji wins surprise gold in women's para shot put". www.samoa2019.ws. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  4. Journalist, Taina Tuiwai Multimedia. "Vatunisolo hopes to repeat winning performance". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  5. "Naibili, Semesa To Be Flagbearers | FASANOC". www.fasanoc.org.fj. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  6. fijivillage. "Vatunisolo win Fiji's fourth medal in the Commonwealth Games". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  7. Deo, Rohit (2022-08-06). "Birmingham 2022: Nabili collects bronze". The Fiji Times. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  8. "Vatunisolo wins second Fiji bronze on Commonwealth Games debut". Mai Tv. 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  9. "Fiji Sun – Naibili Vatunisolo". fijisun.com.fj. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  10. Journalist, Talei Matairakula Multimedia Sports. "Rakesa and Vatunisolo wins gold". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  11. "Vatunisolo is Team Fiji flag bearer at 2022 Pacific Mini Games". Mai Tv. 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  12. "2023 Pacific Games - Solomon Islands". sol2023.gems.pro. Retrieved 2024-05-08.