Naibili Vatunisolo

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Naibili Vatunisolo (born 31 October 1990) is a Fijian para-athlete. [1] She specializes in the javelin and shot put. She was a bronze medalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She won a gold medal in shot put at the 2024 Oceania Para Athletics Championships. [2]

Career

Naibili Vatunisolo started disabled sports after knee surgery in 2010. [3] In 2019, she won her first international gold medal at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa in shot put. [4] [5]

She qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and she served as flag bearer with Lawn Bowler Semesa Naiseruvati in the opening ceremony. [6] 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). [7] [8] [9] 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. [10] She was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Pacific Mini-Games, where she won gold in the standing javelin throw. [11] [12]

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). [13]

She won a gold medal in shot put, silver medal in javelin, and bronze medal in discus, at the 2024 Oceania Para Athletics Championships. [14] She competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics. [15] [16]

References

  1. ↑ "Naibili Vatunisolo, a para-athlete's journey in France". France in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu. 2023-09-09. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
  2. ↑ fijivillage. "Naibili wins gold and qualifies for the Paris Paralympics". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
  3. ↑ Reporter, I. B. (2023-05-09). "Disability is not a barrier". Fiji Traveller. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  4. ↑ "Fiji wins surprise gold in women's para shot put". www.samoa2019.ws. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  5. ↑ Journalist, Taina Tuiwai Multimedia. "Vatunisolo hopes to repeat winning performance". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  6. ↑ "Naibili, Semesa To Be Flagbearers | FASANOC". www.fasanoc.org.fj. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  7. ↑ fijivillage. "Vatunisolo win Fiji's fourth medal in the Commonwealth Games". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  8. ↑ Deo, Rohit (2022-08-06). "Birmingham 2022: Nabili collects bronze". The Fiji Times. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  9. ↑ "Vatunisolo wins second Fiji bronze on Commonwealth Games debut". Mai Tv. 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  10. ↑ "Fiji Sun – Naibili Vatunisolo". fijisun.com.fj. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ "Vatunisolo is Team Fiji flag bearer at 2022 Pacific Mini Games". Mai Tv. 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  13. ↑ "2023 Pacific Games - Solomon Islands". sol2023.gems.pro. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  14. ↑ "Fiji Sun – Naibili Vatunisolo". fijisun.com.fj. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
  15. ↑ "'I want to catch a dream': Pacific para-athletes' journey to the 2024 Paralympic Games". ABC Pacific. 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
  16. ↑ fijivillage. "Nabili Vatunisolo sets a Oceania shot put record at the Paris Paralympics with a throw of 9.19 metres". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
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