Fit and ready: Pacific Sprint King Tabakaucoro

​King of the tracks Banuve Tabakaucoro is looking forward to his toughest competition yet as he gears up for the Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea.

Tabakaucoro has to run in nine events over five days and this includes the heats of the 100m, the 200m and the 4x100m.

He never has had to run these many races over a continuous five day period but the man who all will be watching in PNG is ready.

“This is the first time I will be competing over five days, maximum I have done is three days. With extra days, I really have to be running smart in all my races," he said.

“I am physically fit. I just need to get my mental part in and that will not be a problem for me as you know my mental game has always been one of my strengths.

“Now it's just keeping fingers crossed and staying injury free.

“For me, I don't feel any pressure because I am ready.

“If the 100m final was on tonight, I am ready to run it.

“That's how ready I am.

“My coach and I have worked really hard in the past few days that we have had."

Tabakucoro said if he was on his top game, he would not mind the PNG crowd on the day he raced.

He added there were a lot of expectations including running the 200m below the 20 second mark but he wanted to take one thing at a time.

“I will take it step at a time. First up would be to remain the fastest in the Pacific.

“Fiji has held that title since the 1990s and I hope to extend that for another four years.”

Banuve's personal best in the 100m is 10.22s while he runs 20.63s over 200m.

The athletics team leaves for PNG on July 7.