‍Sereana Salalo/PACNEWS

And 18-year-old Gerard Takayawa is continuing his family legacy in the sport.

Following in the footsteps of his grand-uncles and uncle, Tevita Takayawa, Gerard is the youngest Takayawa so far to make it to the Olympic Games.  

The former Suva Grammar School student was one of ten teenagers who competed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.  

He went down to Team Slovakia’s Fizel Marius in the Men’s 100+kg Elimination Round at Champ de Mars Arena.  

Despite the loss, Gerard was proud and honoured to represent Fiji at the pinnacle of all sports event.    

"I feel like it was meant to be, our family has been doing judo for a long time," he said.

"I have watched my uncles compete in the Olympics, so I just thought why I don’t try it too.

"This is just my first, I’m trying to gain more experience and try to at least reach semifinals or finals in my next Olympic Games."

Gerard was defeated 19 seconds before full-time.  

“I felt they underestimated me because I was young, but I have been competing and training with people way older than me.  

"It’s been a great experience for me especially meeting other people, knowing their culture, seeing sports stars casually walking around and eating at the same dining hall as us.  

"My advice to young boys back in the islands is to keep doing what you are doing and keep working hard.

"Don’t be scared or shy," he said.

Gerard is a first-year student pursuing a degree in law at the Ryutsu Keizai University in Japan.