Jovesa Naivalu
Encyclopedia
Jovesa Seuseu "Joe" Naivalu (born March 19, 1978 in Lautoka
, Fiji
) is a Fiji-American athlete. In the sport of athletics, Naivalu is the Fiji
national record holder in both the 110 metres hurdles
and the 400 metres hurdles
. He represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics
and the 1996 World Junior Championships in Athletics
in the 110 metres hurdles
. In the sport of rugby union
he represented the United States
from 2000-2004 winning 10 caps He also represented the United States
in Rugby Sevens
. During the 2008/09 season he played for Frankfurt SC
in the Rugby-Bundesliga
in Germany, making 15 appearances for the club.
Naivalu moved to the United States in 1986. He competed for Fremont High School
in Sunnyvale, California
, winning the 110 metres hurdles
at the CIF California State Meet
in 1995 and 1996. Based on his ability, he was selected to the small Fiji Olympic team that year. The Olympic hurdles are 3" higher than they are in high school. Naivalu finished 6th in his qualifying heat in the 110 metres hurdles running against the big boys of the sport, including then world record holder Colin Jackson
. Running hurdles he was used to, a month later he took a bronze medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics
.
The following year, he set the Fijian National record
of 13.82 (+0.3) in the 110 metres hurdles in the qualifying round of the IAAF World Championships
. He competed in the 1999 and 2003 (South) Pacific Games, winning the 110 hurdles and finishing second in the 400 metres hurdles
, setting the national record 51.67 in the latter in 1999 at Santa Rita, Guam
.
He turned down a scholarship to the University of North Carolina
and the Fiji Olympic Committee wasn't doling out money to support athletes, so Naivalu followed his brother Saimoni into the world of professional Rugby, playing for the San Jose Seahawks. Still making a pittance, $300 a game, he had to work security for grocery stores to support himself. He is now on the freelance rugby market.
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
) is a Fiji-American athlete. In the sport of athletics, Naivalu is the Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
national record holder in both the 110 metres hurdles
110 metres hurdles
The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...
and the 400 metres hurdles
400 metres hurdles
The 400 metres hurdles is an Olympic athletics event in track and field. On a standard outdoor track 400 metres is the length of the inside lane once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lane the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly...
. He represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics
At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 44 events in athletics were contested, 24 by men and 20 by women. There were a total number of 2053 participating athletes from 191 countries.-Men:...
and the 1996 World Junior Championships in Athletics
1996 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 1996 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 1996 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Sydney, Australia.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com...
in the 110 metres hurdles
110 metres hurdles
The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...
. In the sport of rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
he represented the United States
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
from 2000-2004 winning 10 caps He also represented the United States
United States national rugby union team (sevens)
The United States National Rugby Union Sevens team competes in the IRB Sevens World Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens, World Games, and Pan American Games. The Team will also represent the United States in the Summer Olympics beginning in 2016. Under current head coach Al Caravelli the Eagles have...
in Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
. During the 2008/09 season he played for Frankfurt SC
SC 1880 Frankfurt
The SC 1880 Frankfurt is a German rugby union club from Frankfurt am Main, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like lacrosse, tennis and field hockey....
in the Rugby-Bundesliga
Rugby-Bundesliga
The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany's rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation.The league is predominantly amateur, with only two of the ten clubs in the league being professional outfits,the SC 1880 Frankfurt and Heidelberger RK.-History:The German rugby...
in Germany, making 15 appearances for the club.
Naivalu moved to the United States in 1986. He competed for Fremont High School
Fremont High School (Sunnyvale, California)
Fremont High School is a comprehensive, co-educational, public secondary school in Sunnyvale, California, United States. Fremont is currently the only open public high school located in the city of Sunnyvale and is part of the Fremont Union High School District .-History:Fremont was originally...
in Sunnyvale, California
Sunnyvale, California
Sunnyvale is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley located in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, winning the 110 metres hurdles
110 metres hurdles
The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...
at the CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
in 1995 and 1996. Based on his ability, he was selected to the small Fiji Olympic team that year. The Olympic hurdles are 3" higher than they are in high school. Naivalu finished 6th in his qualifying heat in the 110 metres hurdles running against the big boys of the sport, including then world record holder Colin Jackson
Colin Jackson
Colin Ray Jackson CBE is a British former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. Over his career representing Great Britain and Wales he won an Olympic silver medal, became world champion three times, went undefeated at the European Championships for 12 years and...
. Running hurdles he was used to, a month later he took a bronze medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics
The IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics are the world championships for junior aged athletes athletes, organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It is held biennially since 1986.-Championships:-Men:-Women:-External links:* at...
.
The following year, he set the Fijian National record
Fijian records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Fiji maintained by Fiji's national athletics federation: Athletics Fiji .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:A = affected by altitudey = y denotes one mile-External links:*...
of 13.82 (+0.3) in the 110 metres hurdles in the qualifying round of the IAAF World Championships
IAAF World Championships
IAAF World Championships may refer to any of the World Championship events organized by the IAAF:* IAAF World Championships in Athletics* IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics* IAAF World Cross Country Championships...
. He competed in the 1999 and 2003 (South) Pacific Games, winning the 110 hurdles and finishing second in the 400 metres hurdles
400 metres hurdles
The 400 metres hurdles is an Olympic athletics event in track and field. On a standard outdoor track 400 metres is the length of the inside lane once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lane the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly...
, setting the national record 51.67 in the latter in 1999 at Santa Rita, Guam
Santa Rita, Guam
Santa Rita is a village located on the southwest coast of the United States territory of Guam with hills overlooking Apra Harbor. According to the 2000 census it has a population of 7,500, down from 11,857 in 1990....
.
He turned down a scholarship to the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
and the Fiji Olympic Committee wasn't doling out money to support athletes, so Naivalu followed his brother Saimoni into the world of professional Rugby, playing for the San Jose Seahawks. Still making a pittance, $300 a game, he had to work security for grocery stores to support himself. He is now on the freelance rugby market.
External links
- at Sports Reference
- Jovesa Naivalu's rugby profile on scrum dot com.