Fiji will host the ORPF Oceania International Championships in November, marking the first time in two decades the regional powerlifting showpiece will be staged on Fijian soil, organisers confirmed after a weekend qualifying meet in Suva. The announcement follows the East versus West Powerlifting Competition held in the capital over the past two days, which served as the first official qualifier for the Oceania event.
The East versus West meet drew more than 70 athletes across weight classes and divisions, making it the largest competition the federation has organised to date. Fiji Powerlifting Committee member Norman Ravai said the turnout and level of competition underlined the strength of the sport locally and offered a timely benchmark for lifters aiming for November selection. “The tournament provided athletes with an important opportunity to assess their performance levels and begin planning their preparations for the Oceania Championships, which will be staged in November,” Ravai said.
Beyond size, the Suva competition delivered a notable development in participation demographics. Ravai highlighted that this year recorded the highest female participation the federation has seen so far, calling the numbers “very encouraging.” “This is one of our biggest competitions so far, and we are happy to see a lot of women competing here today,” he said, noting the East versus West meet functions as the federation’s first qualifiers for international selection.
Staging the ORPF Oceania International Championships in Fiji for the first time in 20 years carries both symbolic and practical value for the national programme. Hosting the regional meet will give Fiji lifters the chance to compete on home ground against top athletes from across the Pacific and may bolster exposure for powerlifting locally, organisers say. While detailed logistics, including venue confirmation, participating countries and the full qualifying calendar, were not released at the Suva event, officials said the East versus West competition kicked off the lead-up to November.
Athletes and coaches at the Suva meet used the platform to gauge strengths and weaknesses ahead of final selection rounds. For many, the weekend provided a benchmark to adjust training loads and technical work with several months still available before the Oceania Championships. The federation expects additional qualifiers and national selection events to follow, giving more lifters the chance to vie for representation at the regional meet.
The return of the Oceania Championships to Fiji also aligns with broader efforts to grow women’s involvement in strength sports across the islands. Increasing female entries at domestic events — now peaking at the Suva qualifier — will be a key focus for the federation as it prepares not only to host the November championship but also to field competitive teams across male and female divisions. Norman Ravai said organisers were pleased with the momentum and planned to build on the turnout in the months ahead.