Switching Sports Pushes Tabakaucoro Even Further

Roko Eka Tabakaucoro is pushing herself at this year’s Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands as she will represent Team Fiji in Volleyball.

From an early age, Tabakaucoro was known for participating in the sport of squash but was set on trying her hand at other sports.

The Bau native, a Radiologic technologist by profession, said being named in the team to represent Fiji in Volleyball at her first Pacific Games was not surprising.

"I'm very confident of my abilities and knowing my limitations, so being named in the team was very rewarding," she said.

Eka also knows that there is a lot of expectation associated with her name as she is closely related to the Pacific Sprint King Banuve Tabakaucoro.

"Although Banuve has set a high standard in our family, I am sure that I can also set a standard in my chosen sport of Volleyball,” she explained.

Eka said the whole family is proud of Banuve's achievements, but it was now up to her and others to move on and create a name for themselves.

While she will be taking part in her first Pacific Games, Eka is no stranger to representing the country,

The 22-year-old said she first got the opportunity to represent Fiji while taking part in the sport of Squash.

"Although it was a junior competition in Australia, representing Fiji was an eye-opener, and because I loved sports and was confident in my abilities, I was always looking for an opportunity to represent the country again," she said.

The quiet-spoken former Savusavu Secondary School student said her love for sports came from her competitive family.

"As a family, we were competitive not only academically but also when doing anything around the house," Eka said.

She hoped to bring that competitive edge into her game when she and her team face off against other Pacific Island countries in the women's volleyball event.

"I treat everything I do, whether on the court or off it, as a competition. Hopefully, I also get the opportunity to learn from some of the region's best in the sport and, in the process, win a medal for Fiji," Eka said.

The indoor competition will occur at the Friendship Hall in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from 17 November to 25 November 2023.

The Team Fiji Volleyball Women’s side has yet to win a gold medal at the Pacific Games, with their best performance being the 2007 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa, where they won a silver medal.