Fiji’s weightlifting head coach Henry Elder has credited effective planning and diligent effort for his team’s success in securing medals at the ongoing Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Suva.
Taking place at the Vodafone Arena, Elder expressed optimism about the team’s performance, expecting to achieve both medals and new records. He reflected on Fiji’s lack of medals at the 2019 Pacific Games and highlighted the strategic planning that has been pivotal to the team’s progress since then.
“Back in 2019, Fiji hadn’t won any medals in weightlifting at the Pacific Games. We developed a strategic plan and our federation met to discuss the future,” Elder explained. “We identified key areas for improvement and crafted a strategic plan focused on achieving medal success by 2024.”
Elder noted that the competition level at the Commonwealth Championships is significantly higher than that of the Pacific Games. “The competition has been quite strong. We anticipated this, although some things didn’t go as planned, which is part of competition and life,” he said. “It’s crucial to remain resilient and learn from these experiences.”
He expressed satisfaction with the team’s current performance, recognizing the elevated standards of the Commonwealth Championships compared to the Pacific Games. “The standard here is much higher than what we see at the Pacific Games or even the Oceania level,” he added.
Elder is looking forward to Taniela Rainabogi’s performance on the final day of the championships, hoping it will contribute to the medal tally. The Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships will conclude today.