Twenty three year old star sprinter Niko Verekauta was left speechless after being named the Sports Personality of the Year.
Verekauta who beat the likes of National 7s Coach Iliesa Tanivula and mentor Makelesi Bulikiobo said he never expected to receive the award and dedicated the win to his supporters.
Verekauta has represented Fiji to numerous competitions such as the Mini South Pacific Games, Pacific Games, Oceania Championships, and the Commonwealth Games and even to the Olympic Games.
At last year's South Pacific Games in the Cook Islands, he won five gold medals.
The big win in Cook Islands followed on from his double gold win in the 200 and 400 meters in the Mini Games in Samoa in 2007.
Meanwhile the FASANOC award for Male Athlete of the Year went to Manueli Tulo, who scooped the award for a second time in a row while Maria Liku scored her first FASANOC Award of the year.
Coach of the Year went to Athletics Fiji's Bola Tafou for his coaching to well known athletes, Banuve Tabakaucoro and Niko Verekauta who took out the Sports Personality of the Year Award.
Verekauta named sports personality of the year
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