The Fijian government’s timely financial assistance of $1.3 million was crucial for the success of the upcoming 2024 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships. This was highlighted by Henry Elder, the weightlifting coach for Fiji, following Taniela Rainibogi’s gold medal achievement in the men’s 109kg, +109kg A event on Saturday.
Elder shared that despite their efforts to contact nearly 150 potential sponsors for the event, very few were willing to offer support. Nevertheless, he expressed satisfaction with the positive feedback they received regarding the event’s coordination.
“We’ve received numerous compliments on how the event was organized, and we owe a lot to the Government for their support in making this possible,” Elder stated.
He emphasized the importance of perseverance and faith during the challenging sponsorship search, attributing their eventual success to divine intervention.
“God led us to people who provided the necessary support. Although we faced financial difficulties, help arrived just when we needed it most from various organizations,” he remarked.
Elder also extended his gratitude to the Government and the Fiji Sports Council for their assistance with operational and logistical tasks during the championship.
The five-day event included participation from 23 countries, with a total of 201 lifters competing for medals at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.