Leba sets new track record in Suva finals April 03, 2009
Laucala Bay Secondary School’s Mereleki Leba is the Suva Secondary Schools Zone Two 3000 metre girls champion after a record breaking run at the National Stadium in Suva this morning.
The 15-year-old long distance specialist clocked 11 minutes 32.05 seconds, erasing the standing record of 12 mint 41.00s set by her schoolmate Selina Kesavia last year.
Leba, a Form Three student, is a product of the champion Ra athletic squad from the Fiji Primary Schools Athletic Finals.
She first ran barefooted on the synthetic tracks barefooted two years ago.
“I am looking forward to competing in the Fiji Finals next month because this win has challenged me to train harder and I know that I am on right course to winning my first gold medal,” added Leba, who finished third in the 3000m race in 2007.
“I represented Ra in the Chow Games two years ago and my experience then as a young athlete is now different. I can actually feel the competition building up and I am going to get down to serious business next week for the Coke Games.”
Dedicating the win to her parent back at Soa village in Ra, Leba who lives with her uncle in Suva said support from home and school were her biggest driving force.
“I thank God Almighty for being my strength, without him I wouldn’t have won.”
Leba picked up the first gold medal for Laucala Bay Secondary School while her schoolmate Catherine Resina claimed silver medal for second place finisher. Mirini Qasenivalu of Nabua Secondary School finished with the bronze medal after clocking 12.43.52s
The Suva Two zonal meet was at the TFL National Stadium today.
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