Fijian-born weightlifter Ei­leen Cikamatana could be­come the first woman to win individual gold medals with two different countries.

Cikamatana won Fiji’s lone gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, and at the Birmingham Games she is representing Australia after fall­ing out with Fiji Weightlifting.

Last month, she participated at the Pacific Mini Games in Saipan, where she won the gold medal in the 87 kilogramme.

The 22-year-old Fijian won gold medals at the 2019 and 2020 Inter­national Weightlifting Federation World Cup and 2019 Grand Prix. She is trained by Paula Coffa who is regarded as one of the world’s best weightlifting coaches.

“My coach does all the calls and all I do is train and lift,” Cikama­tana told Saipan Tribune.

“So whatever he says goes. I don’t put expectations in my mind dur­ing competition because that just doesn’t work (for me). If you put expectations on yourself and it doesn’t go then you’d only be upset with yourself.”

Cikamatana said instead of giving yourself expectations you might as well focus on what you can do.

“Because in training you train for this and then in competition you just give your best and everything just happens,” she said with a wide grin.

Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj