Bronze Win Keeps Weightlifters Busy

Following Taniela Rainibogi’s Commonwealth Games 69kg weightlifting bronze medal win there has been numerous invitations for local weightlifters.

First on the list for Rainibogi is the Olympic Games qualifier in Columbia on December 5.

Coach Hendry Elder said the team will take one tour­nament at a time.

“Our preparations for the Pacific Games in the Solo­mon Islands have already started,” Elder said.

“We have some competitions leading up to the Games like the Olympic Games qualifiers which Taniela and two other athletes are capable of qualifying.

“We also have a training camp in Australia in Febru­ary next year.

For Australia the Fiji Weightlifting Association is looking at taking three or four lifters for three weeks training and competition.

Elder disclosed that FWA has received an invite from the Tri Chinese Weightlifting competition for training camp.

“That is for about a month and the trip is fully fund­ed,” he said.

“Apart from that we have got the Australian, New Zealand weightlifting championship compe­tition.

“For the Pacific Games we are looking at a full team with ten male and female ath­letes.

“For Paris it all de­pends on qualifica­tions so we’d like to take two or three.

“From ten categories down to five that’s re­ally tough for the ath­letes.”

“It was very challeng­ing right through from Saipan to the Commonwealth Games and the athletes have put in a lot of effort.

“We are thankful to those who have supported us throughout the journey. The bronze at the Common­wealth Games has set a bigger platform for us.

“We have started our preparations for upcoming com­petitions, there has not been a break for us.

“In fact for the team that returned from the Saipan Games they started off with light training as soon as they got back and have continued right throughout.

“The ones from the Commonwealth Games like Tan­iela started his training a few days after his return.”

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