Jimaima Vakacegu Kete had always set her sights towards a career that would accommodate both her passions and hobby. The 20-year-old Makadru, Matuku, Lau, native was elated at having being part of the Fiji Pearls Netball team that qualified for the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa in 2023.

Kete currently undertakes Preliminary Science at the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CEST) at the Fiji National University (FNU) and has had to work hard to be able to maintain balance between her academic and sporting pursuits. 

“The journey has been difficult and challenging so far because I have to coordinate my time between family, netball and school,” she said. 

“Being in University marks an important step in my academic pursuits. The experience so far has helped me to make decisions independently and also enables me to exercise time management.” She said being selected to the National netball team and later qualifying for the Netball World Cup was no easy feat. 

“Qualifying for the World Cup is a big achievement and I feel very happy and amazed. It was not easy getting here and I honestly cannot put into words how happy I am because it has been a challenging journey.” “We had two training sessions in a day – one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. I usually have classes at around 9am and training would conclude at 8am.

By the time I go for classes, I’m already tired. This, however, has turned me into a more resilient person, one who has had to handle several things simultaneously.” Kete credited her success to her supportive family. 

“I am thankful to God for giving me such beautiful and supportive parents. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. Even if the results didn’t go our way, they were always there to support me, pushing me to never give up.” Kete hopes that like her, more individuals would be willing to pursue their academic aspirations alongside their sporting goals. 

The Fiji National University is now accepting applications for Semester 2, 2022. For enquiries, students can visit our website at www.fnu.ac.fj email the Academic Team via [email protected] or Text (Toll-Free) 857 for Vodafone and Inkk users.