The Fiji Times

Messi in Beijing for friendly before move to Miami

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Argentine superstar Lionel Messi arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a friendly match before leaving a storied European career to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami as a free agent. His arrival was announced in a post on the organiser International Football Invitation’s official Weibo social media site with a video...

2023 Fiji Fact | Ba wins opener

The Ba football side beat Navua 2-1 in its opening match during the Digicel Fiji FACT at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva yesterday. The Men in Black had the best of starts when Faazil Ali headed in the opening goal in the 7th minute. Ali got in between two Navua defenders and squeezed his...

2023 Fiji Fact | Tournament kicks off on a high note

The 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT started on a high note yesterday at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. The first major football tournament of the year had teams showcase some good quality games in the first round. Lautoka created the biggest upset of day one when they beat defending champions and recent OFC Champions League...

Fiji 7s development side wins Marist 7s in Samoa

IN what could prove to be a sign of a bright future ahead for the youngsters, the Fiji 7s development side were crowned champions of the Marist 7s in Samoa today. The side coached by former Fiji 7s and Flying Fijians legend Sireli Bobo with the services of World 7s series regulars Josevani Soro, Josese...

2023 Fiji Fact | Blues beat champions

The Lautoka football side edged hosts and defending champion Suva 1-nil at the 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva yesterday. Suva, missing five key players through injuries and international duties, started well but failed to convert their opportunities into goals. Lautoka also had their share of chances but Suva stopper...

A lot of “enthusiasm” shown by swimmers – Bower

The National Schools Swimming Championship got underway yesterday at the Suva Olympic Pool and association president Patrick Bower says working behind the scenes of a big swim meet like this is never easy. “Hosting and working logistics around the championship has not always been easy,” said Bower. “To begin with, it was very difficult to...

Habosi back in the fold

Despite having a fall out with the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua at the beginning of the year, speedster Vinaya Habosi has been roped in by Fiji Water Flying Fijians head coach Simon Raiwalui to be part of his 45-member wider squad in preparation for the upcoming July test matches and Rugby World Cup (RWC) in...

Police Sharks swallow up Nadi Eels

Police Sharks continued their winning performance from last week as they demolished Nadi Eels by 40-10 in round two of the Fiji National Rugby League (FNRL) women’s competition at Churchill Park in Lautoka yesterday. The Sharks led Eels by 20-4 at half-time. The Sharks looked dominant from the get-go as they scored three unanswered tries...

Super Rugby Pacific | Saukuru sends well wishes to Fijian Drua camp

Sports Minister Jese Saukuru has sent his best wishes to the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua side as they take on 11-time champions the Crusaders in the quarter-finals of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition. The two teams meet at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand tonight. “In just their second season of this...

Super Rugby Pacific | Fans to cheer on boys

It would be safe to assume that by 7pm tonight, the whole of Fiji will come to a standstill, with families and friends huddled in groups – eyes glued to the TV screen or their smartphones. Tonight the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua takes on the Crusaders in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific quarter-finals...

Super Rugby Pacific | Nothing to lose – Skipper

“We will lift our level to match the Crusaders.” These were the words of Swire Shipping Fijian Drua captain Meli Derenalagi as the team left our shores yesterday to play their first-ever Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific quarter-match final against defending champion Crusaders. The Drua take on the Crusaders at the Orangetheory Stadium in...

‘I’m going to Miami’ – Messi confirms move to MLS

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Lionel Messi on Wednesday announced that he intends to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami as a free agent after parting ways with French champions Paris St Germain and snubbing a lucrative contract offer in Saudi Arabia. Messi, who played his final game for PSG over the weekend, was also...

Last man standing | Fiji Olympian boxer Hill on a mission

“When I step into the ring tomorrow night (tonight), I’m going to do what I came here to do — and that is to walk away with the Super Welterweight title.” Olympian boxer Winston Hill made the statement after the weigh-in of the 2023 FMF Boxing Series, where he faces current Super Welterweight title champion...

Naitasiri battle in the final

Fiji Rugby Union interim administrator Simione Valenitabua is calling rugby fans to attend the Royal Tea Ranadi Cup final between Nasinu and Naitasiri at the Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori today. Valenitabua said both teams had earned their spots in the final through hard work and dedication throughout the pool games, and he was expecting...

ISS eyes more gold

INTERNATIONAL Secondary School Suva wants to improve its performance from last year as they prepare to participate in the 2023 National Schools Swimming Championship. Team manager Jonathan Uluiviti, said they hoped to scoop more medals this year, while at the same time exposing their new and younger swimmers to the atmosphere of such a competitive...

2023 Digicel Fiji FACT: Ba edges Navua in close encounter

The Ba football side beat Navua 2-1 to start its 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT campaign on a high. Goals from Fazil Ali and Jonetani Newa in each half gave Ba a handy 2-nil lead early in the second spell. Jared Rongosulia pulled one back for Navua in the 76th minute but it was a little...

SVC positive of chances in pool

WE are positive of our chances. Swami Vivekananda College (SVC) swimming team manager Vika Bakewa said this ahead of the Fiji National Schools’ Swimming Association Primary and Secondary Schools’ National Swimming Championship which starts in Suva today. The defending girls’ high school champion is optimistic of retaining its title at the two-day event which will...

2023 Digicel Fiji FACT: Nadi held in opener

The Nadi football side was held 1-all by Tailevu Naitasiri in the opening match of the 2023 Digicel Fiji FACT. William Valentine scored from the penalty spot to give Nadi a 1-nil lead at half-time. Epeli Valevou equalised for Tailevu Naitasiri in the 94th minute.

Union defers club games

THE SUVA Rugby Union FMF Escott Shield and Koroturaga Cup club competition scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed. This was confirmed by SRU secretary Nemani Tuifagalele to all club managers via email yesterday. In his email, Tuifagalele stated that the club games were cancelled because of the adverse weather conditions and keeping player welfare in...

Big moment for lad

UP until Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne made the announcement yesterday, not much was known about the latest pick — 20-year-old Motikiai Murray. The Fiji under-20 captain’s inclusion as openside flanker in this Saturday’s historic clash against the Crusaders in the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific quarter-fi nals is a dream...

Coach makes surprise call at number 7

SWIRE Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne has named his matchday 23 for the historic Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final clash against the Crusaders this Saturday. The squad is largely the same as last week, with the added highlight being the selection of Fiji Under-20 captain Motikiai Murray at openside flanker, as...

Byrne happy with players

SWIRE Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne said prop Mesake Doge and outside centre Iosefo Masi have been running well with the team over the week. The duo caught some niggling injuries in their 41-17 win over the Reds last weekend at the HFC Bank Stadium and Byrne said they were doing well and...

Drua dominates Raiwalui’s squad

TWENTY THREE players from the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua side have forced their way into the Fiji Water Flying Fijians wider 45-member squad for the upcoming July test series and the pre-Rugby World Cup warm-up matches against France and England. The Fijian Drua players, who are currently preparing for the Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinal against...

Fight of his life

WHEN Junior Binnu Singh faces Junior Farzan Ali in the featherweight title fight tomorrow during the 2023 FMF Boxing Series, it will be a fight he has been waiting for a very long time. The 22-year-old has labeled this fight as one of the toughest of his career but is prepared to get the work...

Motty to make dream debut

When Swire Shipping Fijian Drua opensideflanker Motikiai (Motty) Murray makes his dream debut and runs onto the turf in Christchurch against the Crusaders this Saturday, he will carry the hopes of the nation, his family, his Lovoni, Ovalau, and Ono-i-Lau relatives and the people of Viro and Naqeledamu settlement on his 20-year-old shoulders. The Fiji...

Fastest students eyed for national duties

National selectors will be watching the country’s fastest student swimmers at the National Schools Swimming Championships that will be held tomorrow and Saturday at Olympic Pool in Suva. Their eyes will be set on the best swimmers for the Pacific Games. A total of 315 swimmers from 27 primary schools and 244 swimmers from 20...

First time for 32

For a first timer, it is a massive achievement to take a team of 32 students to a national championship. These were the words of Sabeto District School headteacher Sofia Matai. The Nadi-based school will compete for the very first time in the Fiji National Schools’ Swimming Association Primary and Secondary Schools’ National Swimming Championships...

Simmons sets record straight

Labasa women’s football coach Arthur Simmons has set the record straight to all negative critics after his teams’ two consecutive losses at the Oceania Football Confederation Women’s Champions League. After a good start defeating Kiwi FC 5-nil, the side went down to Koloale FC 0-1 and then were hammered 4-1 by New Caledonia’s AS Academy...

FMF Boxing Series set for this weekend

The 2023 FMF Boxing Series is still set for this weekend, as fans and boxing enthusiasts get to see some of the best boxers in Fiji battle it out at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva. Jese Ravudi will be facing renowned boxer Nathan Singh, commonly known as the “Prince of Fiji” in the Super Welterweight...

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