Manueli Tulo is blessed to be a nominee in the 2016 Fiji Sports Awards at the Vodafone Arena tonight.

The 26-year old is among the nine nominees for the Sportsman of the Year category alongside Vodafone Fijian 7s captain Osea Kolinisau who is the top contender for the award, Leslie Copeland(Athletics Fiji), Roy Krishna(Fiji Football),Epeli Baleibau(Fiji Paralympic), Joji Veremalua(Karate), Iakoba Taberanibou( Table Tennis) and Antonio Raturoba from Fiji Volleyball.

This is the second time the Baba, Levuka native is being nominated.

“For me personally I deserve to be nominated after everything I have done for the country last year. And to be nominated again in the Sportsman of the Year category is a blessing for me,”Tulo said.

“Last year every time I participate in competition I make sure to be good ambassador for the country and doing the country proud in my event.

Earlier last year Tulo won gold in the men’s 56kg category at the 2016 Australian Open Weightlifting Championships in Chandler, Brisbane. He lifted 108kg in the Snatch and 134kg in the Clean and Jerk for a total of 242kg.

He then participated in the Oceania Championships hosted at the Vodafone Arena and won gold after a 104kg lift in the snatch and 127kg in clean and jerk with a total of 231kg.

“During the Oceania Championships I was not at my best form since I was facing a lot of challenges and one of this was my wife gave birth to our second child in Levuka while I was in Suva.

“It was tough for me at first but I just dedicated the win to my family,” he added.

Tulo then participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics and was placed in 13th position after lifting a total of 242kg.

“This was one of my best placing in any major international competition,” Tulo added.

He concluded is 2016 season taking part in the Commonwealth Championship in Malaysia where he won bronze.