By this time next year, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Junior World Championships will be in full swing in Suva.

Bracketed for June 1-8 at the Vodafone Arena this will be the first time for a Pacific Island to host an IWF World Championships.

The last time in Oceania was 1993 when the event was held in Melbourne, Australia.

As a small sporting nation, we should be proud of our achievement because we continue to punch above our weight in hosting international competi­tions.

We continue to make the world take notice and prove we are capable and able to match or do better the rest in organising and promoting sports events.

The annual Fiji International golf tournament pre­sented by Fiji Airways continues to attract stars and visitors.

Set for the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course in August, ‘Big Easy’ Ernie Els will be the main at­traction at the event, now in its fifth year.

The Super Rugby match between the Highlanders and Chiefs is set for June 30 at the ANZ Stadium, Suva.

Two days before that, World Rugby will announce whether Fiji will host a leg of the World Sevens Se­ries in 2020.

In 2021 the Fiji Netball Association will host the Netball World Youth Cup in Suva.

We continue to attract visitors to Fiji as a tourism and sports destination.

The Government has led the way in providing the funding and providing the infrastructure to suit in­ternational competitions.

The Vodafone Arena is undergoing renovation works since being built in 2003 to be ready for the IWF World Junior Championship in 2019.

The championships will involve about 400 athletes and team officials from more than 50 countries tak­ing part.

Together with the IWF executive board and commit­tees, technical officials, parents and supporters, this number is expected to exceed 600 people.

Weightlifting Fiji has set up an organising commit­tee led by International Olympic Committee member Dr Robin Mitchell to run the show.

Weightlifting Fiji has proved that it has the man­power and capable people to run the show.

That’s why Fiji got the nod in the first place by the International Weightlifting Federation.

It is not easy to bring international competitions to Fiji, but we got the nod because we put forward a plan supported by the Government.

Therefore we need all stakeholders to be in sync so that we can push forward together in hosting a suc­cessful event.

This is a stage where our lifters can show the world that we can compete against the best.

Yesterday more young people turned up to at the “Come Give Weightlifting A Go” event at the Nation­al Fitness Centre, starting at 9am.

WF is looking for the next generation of lifters in a bid to develop depth in the sport in the country.

Weightlifting Fiji has big things in store.

It needs all our support.

Feedback: oseab@fijisun.com.fj