Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek
Fiji is just a hop, skip and a jump away from reaching the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ for a third time in the country’s history. Leading the way for them is co-captain Penisoni Tirau.
The Junior Bula Boys striker is quite the athlete, having now competed for Fiji on the international stage in two sports: triple jump and now football.
Tirau’s football journey started at a young age with Ba Football Club, inspired by his uncle’s passion for the game.
“My uncle used to take me to his club football matches. I didn’t really know about football. Then, one day I asked him about it, and he bought me a soccer ball, so at home I was just teaching myself how to play,” Tirau recalls.
Tirau progressed through Ba FC’s youth teams before making his debut for the senior side at the start of the year. He’s already gone on to score three goals in the Digicel Premier League this season.
His athletics career only began at 17 in secondary school. After one of his teachers saw his running style, they asked him to take up the triple jump event. In less than two years competing, he’s already achieved a lot of success.
“My first year I tried triple jump, I broke the records in the district, then I went on to nationals and won a gold medal in the Fiji finals. Then I went the next year, and I won the gold medal again.”
“Last year was my international debut in the triple jump event. I went to the South Pacific Games, and I won a silver medal in the men’s triple jump,” Tirau said proudly.
His personal best of 14.48m would have seen him ranked 12th at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in the men’s triple jump. So, there’s only telling how far he could go if continues to pursue the sport.
But for now, Tirau is finding ways to use skills from one sport to enhance the other – like out-jumping defenders.
“In my third goal I scored against Tahiti you can see my jumping skills,” he says with a smile.
Balancing football and triple jump is no easy feat, but Penisoni embraces the challenge with pride.
“Sometimes it is difficult, but at the back of all the struggles and sacrifices you make, there is the sweet victory”.
The 18-year-old has already tasted victory at the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship in Samoa.
In Tirau’s debut for the Fiji team, he scored two goals to guide Fiji to an impressive 3-1 victory against Tahiti in their opening game of the tournament. He followed that up with another goal in his sides 6-1 victory against Vanuatu – a win that secured them a spot in the semi-finals, where they will face New Zealand.
He continues to strive for success as he hopes to lead Fiji’s U-19 team into the finals – and by doing so securing the country’s third appearance at the FIFA U-20 World Cup™.