Weightlifting Fiji will be looking to collect medals at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau, with weightlifting sensations Taniela Rainibogi and Nehemiah Elder leading the team.
Rainibogi set a new Commonwealth Games record and won gold in the men’s 109kg category during the 2024 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship.
He will be competing in the 110kg at the Games in Palau.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Elder, who will be competing in the 88kg at the Games, is another athlete to look out for as he was the first-ever Fijian Weightlifter to win gold at any World Championship event.
He created history by winning three gold medals at the 2025 IWF World Youth Championships in Lima, Peru, competing in the Men’s 89kg Youth Division.
He dominated the platform, winning the snatch with 152kg, a Clean and Jerk of 180kg, and a total of 332kg.
Nine athletes will represent Weightlifting Fiji at the Games in Palau including 2023 Sports Woman of the Year Miriama Taletawa (77kg), 14-year-old Mereia Turaganivalu (63kg), Chrystalle Kai (69kg), Poama Qaqa (71kg), Daniel Shaw (79kg), Elder (88kg), Zion Tokona (110kg), Rainibogi (110kg) and Setareki Matau (110+).
The Pacific Mini Games will be held from the 29th of this month to the 9th of July.
