PACIFIC GAMES
Coming from a big family from Ucuwai in Nadi, Vishant Reddy always had his sights set on playing football. Reddy, the second child of four siblings, lives with his parents and grandparents and fondly remembers his love for football from a very early age.
Coming from a big family from Ucuwai in Nadi, Vishant Reddy always had his sights set on playing football.
Reddy,the second child of four siblings, lives with his parents and grandparents and fondly remembers his love for football from a very early age.
“I would always play football, my grandparents and my parents would be very supportive of my sporting activities and even my coaches, until one day I was told to try athletics, but my first response was no,” Reddy shared.
It took three years for Reddy’s coaches to convince the Korovuto College students to try long-distance running.
“I never considered running because in athletics there were all these big names, and I was scared. It was when I was in Year 11 I knew I had only one chance to try my hand at as many things as I could. So, I tried for the first time and tried the 800m in the Lautoka Zone and to my surprise, I broke a record,” he added.
His performance at the zone that year, took him by surprise, after the competitions that day, Reddy recalled that he still could not believe that he had the ability to run competitively.
Due to COVID-19, there were no secondary school athletics competitions, but this did not stop young Vishant Reddy from working to improve his newfound passion for athletics.
The following year in 2022, Reddy took on 1500m and 800m events in the Intermediate Grade breaking records in both events at the Zone competitions, before medalling at the Coca-Cola Games.
This year, Reddy wanted to try the 3,000m event but was told he could not achieve this, he then went all the way to win a gold medal in the event in April this year drawing inspiration from his grandparents, parents and his coaches.
“At the national level, there has been so much support from Team Fiji, to get me to where I am. I will be running for my country, I know I will also be representing my family back in our small village in Nadi,” Reddy added.
A jack of all trades, Reddy, who is also a Nadi football player and was always a middle-distance runner, will be representing Fiji to the Pacific Games in the 1500m, 800m and 4x400m events.
He hopes to be able to work with other members of Team Fiji to bring back a result they can be proud of.
Meanwhile, the South Pacific Games will be held from November 19- December 2 in the Solomon Islands.
