Meli Laddpeter 
Before molding his athletes into some of the best lifters in the region, Weightlifting Fiji head coach Henry Elder says building their character is one of the first and most important steps to reaching their full potential.
He says weightlifting is not only about how much an athlete can lift, but also about their character, mindset and morals, which play a crucial role in overall development.
Elder adds that once athletes are in the right mental space, they are able to perform better both in training and in competition.
“You know there’s certain characteristics that we look at, which is very crucial for the development of an athlete. There was a study that was done on the All Blacks, and that was something that was shared to us and the secretes to the All Blacks was building character and creating good people.”
Under his guidance, Weightlifting Fiji has produced some of the region’s top lifters, including Pacific Games triple gold medalist Taniela Rainibogi, Commonwealth Championship silver medalist Miriama Taletawa, and Oceania Championship gold medalist Mereia Turaganivalu.
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