Meli Laddpeter 
Mereia Turaganivalu while competing at the championships in Colombia.
Despite missing out on a podium finish, Mereia Turaganivalu recorded some of her best performances in her weightlifting journey while representing the country at the IWF World Youth Championships in Columbia yesterday.
Turaganivalu managed to finish in the top 15 in the world, and recorded two personal bests in her snatch and clean & jerk events.
She managed to lift 77 kilograms in her snatch for a PB, and 97kg in the clean and jerk.
Head coach Henry Elder says he could’nt be prouder for Turaganivalu, who has shown perserverance and hard work in the weeks leading up to the event.
Right after her events, Turaganivalu dived straight into her books, spending her spare time on her studies.
“This kid has really amazed me. Im so happy and really excited for her and her future. This kid I can say works harder that almost any kid in the country. Im amazed at her dedication, hard word, resilience and perseverance.”
He adds that juggling training, family time and studies is no easy feat, and praised the youngster for her achievement.
