“This is where champions are made, when no one is looking, behind closed doors. It’s very long, it’s very boring, I’m not going to lie. But this is where the champions are built,” stated Banuve Tabakaucoro, the Pacific and national sprint King. His words reflect the essence of the hard work and dedication necessary in the unseen hours of off-season training, which he is currently undertaking with 15 committed athletes at his Bullet Academy Athletics Club in Suva.
Tabakaucoro emphasizes that the journey toward becoming a champion requires significant sacrifices. Many of his athletes have chosen to forgo holidays and leisure time to dedicate themselves fully to enhancing their fitness and honing their skills. “A lot of them are sacrificing their holidays, their free time. A lot of them wanted to go to the village, but they’ve made that decision to stay over this year and work on their fitness and just work on what we’re building on next year,” he explained.
The growth of the Bullet Academy, which has seen an increase in athlete numbers each year, is indicative of the club’s effective coaching and commitment to excellence. The academy’s mission focuses on nurturing the next generation of Fijian athletes, with particular attention to speed, strength, discipline, and cultural values.
“Each year I get more athletes, and that’s a very good sign for the club and also for our coaching team,” Tabakaucoro noted with optimism. He is confident that the rigorous off-season training will lead to future successes and medals in the competitive athletics arena. “If you’re looking to win a medal at the Cokes next year or in athletics in general, you need to put in work during the off-season,” he affirmed.
With schools across the region also stepping up their off-season preparations, Tabakaucoro anticipates a challenging and highly competitive Fiji Finals in the coming year. This growing commitment to athletics is not only fostering individual talents but also strengthening the spirit of competition within Fijian sports.