BACKCOUNTRY Mulo Mulo is better known for its towering mountain ranges and scenic hotspots.
It is also known for its diverse culture, who live side by side in peace and harmony.
But less known that it has made its name in the sporting realm, producing classy athletes, in the sport of rugby, football, horse racing, boxing and wrestling.
And while the ordinary men, three of whom became extraordinary for representing the nation, others proud the district, and among a father and son who were horse racing trailblazers, as famed jockeys.
Our rugby sevens stars, Semisi, Apenisa and Manoa Naevo represented Fiji 7s team and in the latter part of the career played for the Flying Fijians.
The former first, known as the ‘Mountain Man’ was a member of the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens team.
Best known for his menace speed aerial skills.
He was bestowed with the captaincy role for the last two tournaments of the 2005–06 IRB 7s Series, and it was fitting that he lifted the London Sevens trophy and the IRB sevens trophy.
Following in the footsteps were Apenisa and Manoa Naevo, the duo had their fair share of caps with the national men’s 7s team.
Footballer Hafizur Rahaman, the lanky midfielder was part of Nadi’s 1974, Inter district championship winning team.
He played a starring role in the district’s 1-0 win against Tailevu/Naitasiri at the Prince Charles Park.
Hafizur is the son of late Abdul Munaf, one time Fiji’s best Qawwali singer.
Qawwali is a form of music performed to stimulate religious devotion and a sense of spiritual closeness to God.
Orisi Nakadi, was another footballer who rose to stardom, he fired the winner against Lautoka in the 1983 grandeur final of the Tip Top Ice cream tournament at the National Stadium.
In an unneighborly rub it all battle, Orisi waded through a water puddle on an Emosi Koroi Bacardi setup to find the goal, it kicked the ecstasy of celebrations in Nadi.
He played a few years before taking up farming in the uphills of Mulo Mulo.
Like father, like son, jockeys, Rownie and Shameem were the best horse-riding duo in the country.
They were regular fixtures in the Western Derby, races in Carreres, Voutalevu Race, Wailoaloa and conquered the Yalalevu Racecourse in Ba, with their crack of the whip, they were championship riders.
And there were boxers, who enthralled with their in-fight skills and won championships.
Mamurat and Amir Ali, the former had fought between 1999-2004, and with over a dozen wins to his name, he gained himself a following, the latter rose to fame in the 80s, hitting above his weight class seemingly at will, both were ranked, Bantam and Welterweights.
Amir’s older brother, Sher Ali was a renowned wrestler and as historians have it, he was the next big thing in the sport before he called it a sport.
And then there were other amazing footballers, whose opportunities failed, the names that roll of the tongue are, Mohammed Nasir (Nalu), a deserving life member of the Nadi Football Association, Manjor Ali and Saizad Ali (Maidu).
These men were no less star attraction during the bazaar, and Muslim tournaments.
For Mulo Mulo may be seen as a mountain range, (Pahadi) to the outside world, but her men surely rose much more than the towing hills and into sporting realm.
