| Usaia Sotutu | |
| Fullname: | Usaia Naiteitei Sotutu |
| Birth Date: | 1947 9, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Tavea, Bua, Fiji |
| Height: | 1.66m (05.45feet) |
| Weight: | 63kg (139lb) |
| Sport: | Athletics |
| Event: | 5000 metres 10,000 metres 3000 metres steeplechase |
| Universityteam: | Brigham Young University Cougars |
| Team: | Team Fiji |
| Coach: | Clarence Robison[1] |
| Pb: | 5000m – 15:11.8 (1969) 10000m – 31:32.0 (1971) 3000m Steepl – 8:48.0 (1971) |
| Updated: | 26 April 2013 |
Usaia Naiteitei Sotutu (born 20 September 1947 in Tavea, Bua, Fiji) is a former runner who represented Fiji at the 1972 Summer Olympics.[2]
Usaia was born in 1947 to Tevita Naiteitei and Akisi Buasega in Fiji. He represented Fiji in several international track and field competitions, including the South Pacific Games and the Summer Olympics. Shortly after participating in the Olympics, he attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, on a full scholarship for track and cross-country. While attending BYU, he converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[3] In 1973, he took a break from his college and track career to serve a two-year mission for the Church back in Fiji. He went on to marry Catherine Marie Olson in 1975, who was also studying at BYU. Upon finishing his education in Provo, he, Cathie, and their first son, David, moved back to Fiji, and they lived there for the next three years. During that time he taught physical education, and had two more children with Cathie: Juliette and Charles. The Family then moved to Kent, Washington in 1980. There, he went to work for Boeing, and they had two more daughters, Jennifer and Diana. He and Cathie were divorced in 2004, but he still lives in the Seattle, Washington area and still works for Boeing.
Usaia was a noted runner in Fiji and was selected to represent Fiji in the South Pacific Games (now Pacific Games) numerous times. In 1972, he was chosen to represent Fiji in the Summer Olympics. He did not win any medals.
| Representing | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | South Pacific Games | Nouméa, New Caledonia | 3rd | 10,000 m | 33:24.7 min | |
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:59.2 min | |||
| 1969 | South Pacific Games | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | 3rd | 5000 m | 16:05.0 min | |
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 10,000 m | 33:13.2 min | |||
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:48.8 min | |||
| 1971 | South Pacific Games | Pirae, French Polynesia | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 5000 m | 15:15.4 min |
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 10,000 m | 32:14.6 min | |||
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:24.0 min | |||
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:18.5 min | |||
| 1975 | South Pacific Games | Tumon, Guam | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 1500 m | 4:04.41 min |
| 3rd | 10,000 m | 32:58.94 min | ||||
| bgcolor=silver | 2nd | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:51.4 min | |||
| 1979 | South Pacific Games | Suva, Fiji | bgcolor=silver | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:59.97 min |
| bgcolor=silver | 2nd | 3000 m steeplechase | 9:28.06 min | |||
It is not known when he retired, but he was ushered into the Fiji Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.