Taina Basiyalo 
Nehemiah Elder.
Weightlifting Fiji’s rising star, Nehemiah Elder, has captured three gold medals at the 2025 World Youth & Junior Championship in Peru, marking a significant milestone in his young but already impressive career.
Competing in the 89kg A Division, Elder stood out as the only youth in the Under 17 category lifter in a highly competitive field.
While the rest of the field in his weight class had wrapped up their attempts in the 89kg B Division just minutes earlier, Elder stepped up on the biggest stage with nerves of steel.
The two-time Fiji Young Male Athlete of the Year delivered a commanding performance, lifting 152kg in the snatch and 180kg in the clean and jerk, for a combined total of 332kg.
His lifts not only secured him top spot in all three categories—snatch, clean and jerk, and total—but also underscored his potential to develop into a formidable international contender in the years ahead.
Weightlifting Fiji officials have hailed Elder’s achievement as a testament to his discipline and the strength of Fiji’s youth development program.
His victory adds to the growing momentum for the sport in the country, inspiring a new generation of lifters.
