Australian weightlifter Eileen Cikamatana stated that the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship (CWC) will be an important opportunity for her to assess her performance following the recent Paris Olympics.
“I started training in the past few weeks to prepare for the upcoming tournament,” Cikamatana noted.
“I’m just here to move my body, compete with other athletes from the Commonwealth region, and enjoy the tournament together with other participants,” she added.
Cikamatana mentioned that her coach, Paul Coffa, sets specific goals for her at each tournament she enters.
“I want to enjoy this experience with friends and family who have come from various islands to watch me compete,” she explained.
“It’s great to see everyone lifting and pursuing their dreams as athletes. Their inspiring stories about striving to become elite athletes motivate me,” Cikamatana remarked.
She expressed her enthusiasm about witnessing the younger generation of lifters participating in this tournament, saying, “I support the youth and junior lifters and try to encourage them not to give up too soon.”
“Don’t give up on your dreams; success doesn’t happen overnight. It requires hard work, commitment, and sacrifice,” she advised.
Cikamatana voiced her pleasure at representing Australia in her home country, recalling, “I last competed here in 2016 and I’m back after eight years.”
She confirmed her participation in the 87kg and 81kg plus categories scheduled for Friday at 4:30 PM.
Cikamatana encouraged the people of Fiji to come out in large numbers to support the weightlifters from the Commonwealth region.
The tournament began at the Vodafone Arena yesterday and is set to conclude on Saturday.