Page 31 - IB February 2024

Sports

Huge achievement ... Rainibogi with coach Henry Elder
LIFTING THROUGH HIS STRUGGLES:

TANIELA RAINIBOGI

By Alipate Pareti train and then walk back home. I was unemployed but I did
rely on someone else to help me. I was never late for training
Fiji’s new-found weightlifting sensation, Taniela Rainibogi, because I was determined to make weightlifting my career.”
is powering his way to becoming one of the biggest names in His hard work is paying off.
Pacific sports, after becoming the first weightlifter from his Rainibogi is the recipient of the International Olympic
country to win a medal in a global competition. Committee (IOC) Olympic Solidarity Scholarship.
At the 2023 International Weightlifting Federation Grand “I’m so grateful to be in this stage of my young career
Prix II in Qatar, in December, Rainibogi won a silver medal in because the IOC has given me a scholarship that has been
the Snatch, a bronze in the Clean & Jerk and won third place a big help for me. Now, I don’t have to walk to training. I
overall in his category. can buy food to help with my diet and pay my rent. I’m very
He was fresh out of winning the overall best male athlete thankful for that.”
award at the regional SOL23 Pacific Games a few weeks Next up, Taniela Rainibogi is determined to compete in the
earlier, winning three gold medals in the 109kg category, Oceania Championship and the World Cup to help with his
while being Team Fiji’s flag bearer. Olympic Games qualifications.
The gentle giant has had to battle through some tough early “I’m excited to compete in New Zealand and in Thailand.”
days in his career to get to where he is today. He adds: “Sometimes, there are injuries but that does not
“I’ve been through a lot of struggles in my life but it stop my focus. Every week, we lift weights and the training
motivates me even more to do my training properly and keep regimes are not easy. We train two times every day to prepare
pushing myself to achieve my goals,” says the 26-year-old ourselves for the upcoming competitions.”
from Cakaudrove in Vanua Levu. Weightlifting is an individual sport, says Rainibogi.
“In the beginning of my career, I used to walk from Nakasi “It’s not like rugby or any other team sport. When you don’t
to Laucala Bay (a distance of 10 kilometres), just to come and perform well in weightlifting, it’s very hard because you only

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