Gallery: Holding court - The king of the classroom in Fiji's table tennis transformation

Eparama Lagi is king of the classroom.

His wheelchair is his throne, his paddle is his sword and his subjects are table tennis rookies who step up to test their mettle against the Nausori Special School champion. If they put up an honourable fight, they are offered a word of encouragement from the sultan of the serve.

If not, they are dismissed with an exasperated eye roll.

"I'm very happy today," he declares. It's obvious, as another contender steps up and is vanquished. But the ping pong king wasn't always held in such high esteem.

"He was a shy boy," says Fiji Table Tennis Development Officer, Harvi Yee, of a time, not so long ago, when Eparama was first introduced to the game.

"You could see that he wanted to play. So, I came to him and talked to him. After that, his shyness finished. He just enjoys himself.

Every time we come he is ready and waiting. He never misses a session. He concentrates. He can play better than all the standing players."

That devotion, combined with natural talent, have taken him global.

Still only 15, Eparama has been drafted into the Fiji para-table tennis squad, taking silver in both the Oceania and Auckland Opens. He's also had his first train and plane rides and supercharged his self-confidence. 

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This story was produced by ABC International Development as part of the Pacific Sports Partnerships funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.