Fijian athletes who have been awarded scholarships in the United States were invited to their country's Olympic House for a meal ahead of their departure ©FASANOC

A quartet of Fijian athletes who have been awarded scholarships to attend Southwestern Community College in the American state of Iowa have received a send-off from the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) at Fiji Olympic House. 

Younis Bese was joined by fellow sprinters Sisilia Seavula and Aaron Powell as well as Inia Nasilisili at the lunch ahead of their departure to the United States on Saturday (August 15).

Bese and Seavula were both part of Fiji's gold medal-winning women's 4x100 metres relay team at last month's Pacific Games in Port Moresby, beating host nation Papua New Guinea to the top of the podium.

The pair finished behind Papua New Guinea's Toea Wisil in both the women's 100m and 200m races with Bese claiming two silvers and Seavula two bronzes.

Powell meanwhile reached the men's 200m final but missed out on a medal after finishing in fifth place as compatriot Ratu Banuve Tabakaucoro came away with gold. 

Sprinter Younis Bese (left) is one of the four Fijian athletes to have been awarded a scholarship to attend Southwestern Community College in Iowa
Sprinter Younis Bese (left) is one of the four Fijian athletes to have been awarded a scholarship to attend Southwestern Community College in Iowa ©Getty Images

Another Fijian sprinter Makelesi Batimala, who was recently appointed chair of the FASANOC High Performance Commission, encouraged the athletes to work hard and maintain their commitment.

FASANOC chief executive Lorraine Mar also invited current scholarship holders, basketball player Mataika Koyamainavure and volleyball player Agatha Gibbons, to share their experiences and tips.

Gibbons, who has been volunteering for FASANOC while on her semester break, departs for New Mexico on Monday (August 17) to join up with her team mates at Eastern New Mexico University.  



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