Australian weightlifter Eileen Cikamatana stated that the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship (CWC) will be an opportunity for her to assess her performance following her participation in the recent Paris Olympics.
“I began training a few weeks ago to prepare for this tournament,” Cikamatana mentioned. She expressed her intentions to simply enjoy the competition, stating, “I’m here to move my body around, compete with fellow athletes from the Commonwealth region, and enjoy the tournament with other participants.”
Cikamatana noted that her coach, Paul Coffa, provides her with specific goals for every competition. She emphasized her desire to savor the experience in front of friends and family who traveled from various islands to support her.
“It’s uplifting to witness everyone lifting and pursuing their dreams as athletes,” she remarked. “Seeing their stories about striving to become elite athletes is inspiring.”
The weightlifter highlighted the presence of new generations of lifters participating in the tournament as a positive sign. “I am here to support the youth and junior lifters, giving them encouragement so they don’t give up too early,” she said. “Remember, success doesn’t happen overnight; it requires hard work, commitment, and sacrifice.”
Cikamatana expressed her pride in representing Australia at home. “I last competed here in 2016, and I’m returning after eight years,” she shared. She is set to compete on Friday in the 87kg and 81kg plus categories at 4:30 PM.
She also called on the people of Fiji to come out in large numbers to support Commonwealth weightlifters. The tournament commenced at the Vodafone Arena yesterday and is scheduled to conclude on Saturday.