Maori Pomeroy Farrell, a 17-year-old little-known aquatic diver, has put Fiji on the global map at the World Junior Diving Championships in Croatia.
Maori, who has links to Dama village in Bua and Levuka Vakaviti in Ovalau, claimed a bronze medal at in the Boys’ 3-metre springboard event, finished third with a total score of 490.50 points, to claim a bronze medal at the event.
It is the first-ever medal won by Fiji at an aquatic world meet.
Germany’s Finn Awe won gold with 560.60 points, while Matvei Pomoshnikov of Russia took silver with 542.00 points.
World Aquatics said in a short post on the achievement on their social media platforms “Maori Pomeroy-Farrell claims bronze at the , becoming the first-ever Fijian athlete to win a medal at a World Aquatics competition. A landmark moment for Fiji diving and a huge achievement on the world stage.”
Maori held off challengers from Mexico, Lithuania, Germany and the United States to clinch the bronze medal.
The teenager is also scheduled to compete in the boys’ under-18s one metre dive.
His dad Dan Farrell said the family are proud of Maori’s achievement and believe his strong performance has now put Fiji on the world map in the sport.
“History for Fiji!,” he said.
“Maori charged through a field of 43 international competitors, entering the 12-man final in 12th position.
“Then he turned it up a notch, fighting like a Fijian warrior and charging all the way to bronze, channeling the strength of his vanua, from Dama, Bua, to Levuka, Ovalau, his vuvale and all of Fiji stand proudly with him as he makes history for his nation on the world stage.”
Maori, whose family had to relocate from Canada to Mexico so that he could train and compete in the sport he now loves, is the first to represent Fiji in the sport at the world meet.
His participation in Croatia has been funded by the Fiji Sports Commission.
