Miriama Taletawa returned home with a silver medal in the junior category of the women’s 76kg competition at the 2024 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, which took place at the Vodafone Arena in Suva on Thursday. Taletawa achieved a lift of 90kg in the snatch and 112kg in the clean and jerk, totaling 202kg.
Reflecting on her experience, Taletawa expressed her joy upon receiving the silver medal. “I felt happy and at the same time excited,” she shared. She recounted the nerves and anxiety she faced while competing against top athletes from across the Commonwealth.
“When I went up for my first attempt, I was very nervous and scared,” she said. Nevertheless, she surprised herself by successfully completing her first and second attempts in the snatch category. “I was shocked to see my results afterward. The first lift exceeded my expectations.”
Taletawa noted that her training with the Fiji team leading up to the championship had gone smoothly, even though training sessions sometimes yielded mixed results. “The atmosphere was perfect, and everything was good,” she remarked, acknowledging that while some days featured both good and bad lifts, overall, the preparation was successful.
Looking ahead, Taletawa aims to continue her training for upcoming competitions, focusing on improving her skills to become an even stronger athlete. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards her family and team officials for their unwavering support throughout her weightlifting journey. “Thank you very much for the support and for always being there for me in the good times and bad.”
In addition to her recent achievement, Taletawa is also the current holder of the Fiji Sportswoman of the Year Award. The competition will conclude in the capital with the final events taking place today.