[Source: File]
Team Fiji boxer Jasmine Daunakamakama insists the color of the medal has never been her motivation, but early tomorrow morning in Glasgow, the 21-year-old will step into the ring just one victory away from a historic Commonwealth Games gold medal bout.
The women’s 57kg semifinal presents the biggest fight of Daunakamakama’s career, but rather than focusing on the podium, Fiji’s lone female boxer says her greatest goal has always been to stay true to herself each time she enters the ring.
“Everyone’s been asking me, ‘Do you see yourself standing on the podium?’.My answer was always that I didn’t want to aim for superficial goals. This whole journey has been driven by my internal state and how truthful I can be when I step into the ring and how well I can perform in that very moment.”
Having already secured a Commonwealth Games medal by reaching the semifinals, Daunakamakama describes the achievement as a bonus to a journey built on growth, resilience, and self-belief.
“To even have a medal is just the bonus. The beauty of this journey has been the growth and the process.”
She also paid tribute to the people who have helped shape her rise, thanking her family, teammates, and coaches for believing in her every step of the way.
She reserved special praise for her boxing teammates, who have trained alongside her despite being the only female in the squad.
“I want to thank the boys for pushing me every day and respecting me as a boxer and not seeing me any other way.”
Daunakamakama also acknowledged her parents for nurturing her passion from a young age and the Nausori Boxing Club for grounding her in her culture before leaving Fiji, saying a traditional service and farewell ceremony reminded her that she was carrying the hopes of a nation.
As she prepares for the biggest bout of her career, head coach Cam Todd believes the best is still to come.
“She’s only been boxing for three years, she’s had over 100 fights, and she’s still a baby.”
Now, with history within touching distance, Daunakamakama has the opportunity to turn a journey driven by personal growth into one of Fiji’s most memorable moments on the Commonwealth Games stage.
She takes on Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh in the women’s 57-kilogram semifinal at 1:30am.
