Fiji’s 75-year-old PM wins international athletics medal for shot put
- Sitiveni Rabuka earned his bronze with a throw of 7.09 metres to finish behind two Australian rivals in the 75-79 category for the Oceania region
- It’s 50 years since he represented Fiji in the hammer throw, shot put, discus and decathlon at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch
Fiji’s prime minister wound back the clock on Wednesday by winning a bronze medal at an international athletics championships, aged 75.
Sitiveni Rabuka, who competed for Fiji at both rugby and athletics in his youth, finished on the podium for his age category in the shot put at the Oceania championships held in Suva.
World leaders taking part in sports events is nothing new, but it is rare for one to walk away with a medal from an international competition.
Rabuka earned his bronze with a throw of 7.09 metres to finish behind two Australian rivals in the 75-79 category for the Oceania region.
“Even at 75, I hope to inspire the younger generation to develop a habit of keeping fit and staying healthy,” he posted on his Facebook page.
“It was indeed a morale booster for me,” Rabuka added, alongside a picture of him holding the medal.
