Simran Chand 
Poama Waqa
A visibly emotional Poama Waqa dedicated his Pacific Mini Games medals to his family and daughter, celebrating a remarkable comeback in the Men’s 71kg weightlifting category.
Waqa started strong, claiming silver with an impressive 126kg snatch.
He then secured a bronze in the Clean and Jerk by lifting 150kg.
Together, these lifts earned him an overall silver medal with a total of 276kg.
“For me, from 2018, I had stopped training but all the other athletes continued training. I returned to the sport and was able to achieve this, so nothing is impossible.”
What makes Waqa’s achievement extraordinary is that he returned to competition after a seven-year break, having left the sport in 2018.
At 28, his return shows that with determination and hard work, great success is possible, no matter the time away.
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