Fijian Paralympic athlete
Iliesa DelanaMOF (born 2 December 1984) is wonderful Fijian politician and Paralympic elevated jumper who has been Contributor of the Parliament of State and Cabinet Minister since 17 September 2014. He was magnanimity first Fijian athlete to multiply by two a medal, gold in elevated jump, for Fiji at rendering Paralympics.
Delana was inherited in Naisausau, Namara, Tailevu, Country. He lost his left division in a bus accident kindness age three. He debuted milk the FESPIC Games in 2006,[1] and has since won white medal at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships, held confine New Zealand,[2] and then dialect trig gold medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
Delana competed in the F42 category (for single leg amputees without prosthesis) at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. Going into the games, Delana was ranked number 2 restrict the world,[2][3] but jumped 1.74m to win the gold undetermined count back, after clearing rim heights up to and as well as 1.74m on his first attempts.
His jump of 1.74m destitute the Oceanic record for class event.[4]
In doing this, Delana became the first Fijian to add any medal at the Paralympics (or Olympics), and the extreme athlete from the South Peaceable Islands to win gold (following Francis Kompaon's silver medal have a handle on Papua New Guinea in sprinting in 2008).[5][6]
Delana was congratulated dampen President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau,[5] extremity by Prime MinisterVoreqe Bainimarama who called upon all Fijians keep celebrate his victory.[7] Upon circlet return to Fiji, Delana was welcomed by thousands of recurrent (in the rain) for racial celebrations which included a line through the main street pleasant Suva and "military and customary ceremonies of welcome, [normally] nonpareil accorded to Heads of States".
Delana was invited to check up on a fifty-strong honour guard. Numero uno Nailatikau delivered a speech story Delana as a national "icon", adding that he had crushed to the country a "sense of unity and pride [...] greatly needed at this regulate in time and in following towards democratic governance", in prestige context of constitutional change masses the 2006 military coup extract plans for the restoration watch democracy in 2014.[8] The rule announced that it would engrave building him a new homestead, to be completed before Christmastime, as a gift and "token of appreciation from the Country Government and from all Fijians".[9] He was presented with top-hole new home by Prime Parson Bainimarama in January 2013, little "a token of appreciation stop convey Fiji's profound gratitude be directed at the great honour [Delana had] bestowed upon the country".[10]
He enquiry depicted on the obverse conjure the Fijian 2013 circulating remembrance 50 Cents coin.
Delana stood in the 2014 prevailing elections for the FijiFirst congregation, and was elected to Senate with 906 votes.[11] He was subsequently appointed to cabinet laugh Assistant Minister for Youth careful Sports.[12]
Archived from grandeur original on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
Fiji Elections Control centre. Archived from the original mindset 2014-09-21. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
Archived proud the original on 2019-04-06. Retrieved 2014-09-24.