Mataika Tuicakau

Mataika Tuicakau
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Fiji
1950 British Empire Games
1950 Auckland Shot put
1950 Auckland Discus throw

Mataika Tuicakau was a Fijian track and field athlete who competed in the shot put and discus throw events.

Born on Tovu, Totoya on the Lau Islands of Fiji. Tuicakau was a tall athlete who excelled at throwing events.[1] He was the first Fijian to have success internationally in the sport of athletics.[2][3] At the 1950 British Empire Games he threw 14.64 m (48 ft 0 1⁄4 in) in the shot put to hold off England's Harold Moody and be declared the champion. He also claimed a silver medal in the discus behind Ian Reed of Australia, who broke the games record in the process.[4][5]

He was the first gold medallist for Fiji at the Commonwealth Games and remains their only athletics winner in the tournament's history.[6] The shot put national record of 15.48 m (50 ft 9 1⁄4 in) he set in Suva in 1951 stood for over 50 years.[7] He was the first entrant into the Fiji Sports Hall of Fame alongside rugby player Josefa Levula.[8]

International competitions

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
1950 British Empire Games Auckland, New Zealand 1st Shot put 14.64 m
2nd Discus throw 44.00 m

References

  1. ↑ Charter Inductee 1990 Mataika Tuicakau - Athletics. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
  2. ↑ Matthews, Peter (2012). Historical Dictionary of Track and Field. Scarecrow Press, pg. 81. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
  3. ↑ Rakoko, Kameli (2015-01-12). The priceless moment. The Fiji Times. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
  4. ↑ Commonwealth Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
  5. ↑ Games Results for Mataika Tuicakau. Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
  6. ↑ Fiji. Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
  7. ↑ Legends Mataika Tuicakau - Athletics (Fiji) Charter Inductee 1990 Mataika Tuicakau - Athletics. Oceania Sports Information Centre. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
  8. ↑ Fiji Sports Hall of Fame. Sporting Pulse. Retrieved on 2016-03-16.
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