７５歳のフィジー首相、砲丸投げで銅メダル 国際大会

【ウェリントンＡＦＰ＝時事】フィジーのシティベニ・ランブカ首相（７５）が５日、同国の首都スバで開催されている「オセアニア陸上競技選手権大会」で、砲丸投げの７５～７９歳の部で３位に入賞した。（写真はフィジーのシティベニ・ランブカ首相。シドニーで）
　ランブカ氏は１９７４年、英連邦に属する国などが参加するコモンウェルスゲームズでフィジー代表として、ハンマー投げ、砲丸投げ、円盤投げ、十種競技に出場。またプロップとしてラグビー・フィジー代表にも選出された経験を持つ。
　一国の指導者がスポーツ大会に参加することは今に始まったことではないが、国際大会でメダルを獲得するのは珍しい。
　ランブカ氏は７．０９メートルを投げ、３位に入賞。１位と２位はオーストラリア人の選手だった。
　ランブカ氏はフェイスブックに「７５歳になるが、健康的な生活を習慣付けてもらうよう若い世代を刺激したい」と投稿した。
　３日には円盤投げに出場したが、４位入賞でメダルには一歩届かなかった。
　ランブカ氏は元軍人で１９８７年に２度のクーデターを率いた。除隊して政治家に転身すると、１９９２年から１９９９年まで首相を務めた。２０２２年１２月、連立政権樹立に伴い２３年ぶりに首相に返り咲いた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/06/05-19:49）

Fiji's prime minister wound back the clock on Wednesday by winning a bronze medal at an international athletics championships, aged 75.
Sitiveni Rabuka, who competed for Fiji at both rugby and athletics in his youth, finished on the podium for his age category in the shot put at the Oceania championships held in Suva.
World leaders taking part in sports events is nothing new, but it is rare for one to walk away with a medal from an international competition.
Rabuka earned his bronze with a throw of 7.09 metres to finish behind two Australian rivals in the 75-79 category for the Oceania region.
Even at 75, I hope to inspire the younger generation to develop a habit of keeping fit and staying healthy, he posted on his Facebook page.
It was indeed a morale booster for me, Rabuka added, alongside a picture of him holding the medal.
The septuagenarian had previously missed another medal on Monday, by finishing fourth for his age in the discus.
It's 50 years since the politician represented Fiji in the hammer throw, shot put, discus and decathlon at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch.
He also scrummed down as a prop forward for the national rugby team.
A coup-maker turned politician, Rabuka is an ex-soldier who returned to the premiership in 2022 after a 23-year hiatus.
The former lieutenant colonel led two coups in 1987, earning the nickname Rambo by seizing power after troops took over parliament on his signal.
He retired from the military to enter politics, taking his no-nonsense style of command from the parade ground to parliament.
He was elected prime minister in 1992 and held power until he was defeated at the 1999 polls.
Rabuka returned to office as head of the coalition government following elections in December 2022.