On your marks, get set and off we go.
The day has arrived for the biggest secondary schools athletics meet in the world as student athletes from around the country try to create history by winning a Coca-Cola Games medal for the first time at the new look ANZ Stadium.
Over 2,400 athletes will compete this year from 143 schools, and many said it is such a great joy to see the schools who come from out of Suva and create major upsets.
This rattles the so called big schools in the Coca-Cola Games as the medals that they bank on are clinched by the unknown athletes who sometimes run on the tracks or take part in the field events for the first time at the stadium in Suva.
All the wins from the different zones do not matter when it comes to the Coca-Cola Games as this event stands on its own and each athlete walks into the stadium with big dreams to shine and give their best shot.
20 gold medals are at stake on the tracks today and 23 are up from grabs in the field events.
According to Marist Brothers High School manager Navitalai Waiwalu, the defending boys division champion is aiming to successfully defend the title adding that winning the Suva Zone 2 earlier this year was so sweet as the senior athletes like Banuve Tabakaucoro, Ratu Tira Narara and Roy Ravana Junior have left the school.
Waiwalu said they also know that they have to do well in the track and field events to win.
He said this year is special for Marist.
Suva Grammar School head coach Jone Delai said they are cautious of the other schools as they always provide tough competition during the Coke Games.
He also said Grammar is going in as the underdogs this year.
According to Delai, other schools are stepping up each year and he expects this year to be one of the most competitive games ever.
Grammar finished in second place last year in the boys division with 12 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze.
They also finished second in the girls division with 7 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze.
And can 13 be the lucky number for Adi Cakobau School?
ACS sprint queen Elenoa Sailosi who finishes off this year is ready for the challenge.
She believes ACS can do it again as they have been defending the girls title for the past 12 years in the Coca-Cola Games.
Sailosi will feature in the senior girls 100 and 200 metres events.
Sailosi was injured last week in training but was seen training on the new tracks this week and is expected to take the tracks today.
Despite the hardships and challenges faced after the cyclone late last year, the Jasper Williams High School athletes will take part in today's Coca-Cola Games more determined compared to last year.
Jasper is a major threat this year.
Nadarivatu sisters Mereseini Naidau and Sereima Liku will lead the Jasperians after they helped the Lautoka based school to win 4 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze last year to claim third position on the overall standing.
Jasper Williams head coach Antonio Raboiliku said they are hoping to get more medals.
Meanwhile, one of the top bets for this year's blue ribbon event of the Coca-Cola Games Beniamino Maravu said he is looking forward to defending his 200 metres title despite facing major difficulties in his preparation for the games.
The Saint Bedes College student said he had a leg injury and is not at his best like last year.
But Sila Central College blue ribbon gold medal prospect Waisake Raselala said he can create history for his school in the Senior Boys 100 metres final tonight.
The 100 metres heats start at 5.25 this afternoon followed by the 400 metres finals at 6.25 tonight.
The 100 metres finals will kick off at around 7.49 tonight.
The 400 metres heats start at 10.21 this morning, the 200 metres heats are at 11.57am while the 4x400 metres heats kick off at 1.43pm.
You can catch the latest updates on the games on your official Coca-Cola Games radio station Legend FM.
We will have results of all the events as they finish, live medal tally updates, interviews and analysis of the events.
You can also catch live commentaries of selected events on our sister station Viti FM.
You can also catch all the action with photos as events take place on our facebook account, fijivillage.com.
The first field event will be the final of the Intermediate Boys javelin which starts at 9.40am while the first track event starts at 9.45am which will be the final of the open girls 1,500 metres.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
News
Coca-Cola Games 2013 kicks off today
