Weightlifting Fiji is celebrating a landmark year after its athletes delivered strong performances across regional and world competitions, positioning the sport for an even bigger 2026 season.

From junior championships to global events featuring more than 150 countries, Fiji’s lifters not only won medals but also broke records and secured direct qualification spots for major Games.

Head coach Nehemiah Elder says the results reflect a year of sacrifice, elite preparation and belief in a small but determined weightlifting community.

“Firstly, all thanks to God for our achievements and the 2025 accomplishments. We did quite well. I’m very excited about the performances of our athletes. We started the year with an elite training camp in Samoa and that really set the tone high for us.”

Elder highlighted standout results from the Oceania training camp in Apia, where Taniel Rainibongi and Nehemiah Elder were recognised among the top athletes, before the team went on to shine at the Oceania U17 and U20 Championships in Melbourne.

“We came away from that competition winning multiple medals and also breaking Oceania and Commonwealth records in the junior and youth categories, Nehemiah won six gold medals, Zion Tokona won three gold, and Miriama Taletawa secured three silver medals.”

The momentum carried into the World Youth and Junior Championships in Peru, where all four Fijian athletes finished inside the top 20 in the world.

Fiji also impressed at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau, collecting four gold, three silver and four bronze medals, before Rainibogi produced a breakthrough performance at the Commonwealth Championships in India.

Looking ahead, Elder says Weightlifting Fiji is targeting further qualification spots with major events lined up in Samoa, Colombia, Egypt and China next year.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.