There are plans underway to introduce weightlifting in schools as early as next year, as confirmed by Fiji Weightlifting president Della Shaw-Elder. She elaborated that discussions are in the preliminary stages and will initially target a selection of pilot schools. Elder emphasized the importance of careful implementation, noting that safety is a primary concern when dealing with strength and conditioning.
Elder expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative and revealed that proposals for a high-performance training center were initially made to the government back in 2019. She mentioned receiving an email indicating a potential location for the center and is now awaiting further confirmation on the project’s progress.
The establishment of a dedicated weightlifting center is expected to elevate the sport’s profile in Fiji. Elder highlighted that the oldest athlete in their group is 26-year-old Taniela Rainibogi, with all other competitors being younger, suggesting a promising future for weightlifting in the country.
As for current competitions, Fiji recently secured a youth bronze medal in both the women’s 59kg and men’s 81kg categories. Elder noted that the performance of the athletes will be assessed as part of their preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
She acknowledged India’s dominance in the competition while encouraging the Indo-Fijian community to support their athletes, stating that both male and female weightlifters have been performing exceptionally well. Elder also shared that the Fiji weightlifters will continue to participate in competitions over the next couple of days.