Taniela Rainibogi Photo: DBM Srl Deepbluemedia
The biggest achievement on Wednesday at the International Weightlifting Federation's (IWF) Grand Prix competition in Doha, Qatar belonged to Fiji's Taniela Rainibogi.
The IWF commended Rainibogi's performance in making six-from-six for a huge career best of 170-210-380, becoming the first male lifter from Fiji to win a medal at a global competition.
"Arguably the biggest achievement of the day, though, was Taniela Rainibogi's show of strength in the men's 109 kilogram," the IWF said on their official website.
"In making six-from-six for a huge career best of 170-210-380, Rainibogi became the first male lifter from Fiji to win a medal at a global competition. There have been medals in Oceania and Commonwealth events, but none in a competition open to the world.
The IWF said that Eileen Cikamatana, who was third in the women's 81kg yesterday, won plenty of international medals for Fiji before she switched to Australia.
Now Rainibogi has ended Fiji's wait for a man to do the same.
"I think our first lifter competed in 1953, so it took us 70 years to do it," Fijian coach Henry Elder said.
Rainibogi improved his best snatch by 5kg, clean and jerk by 18kg and total by 23kg in finishing third behind Dadash Dadashbayli from Azerbaijan. He would have been second but for a career-best lift of 219kg by Bekdoolot Rasulbekov from Kyrgyzstan, which won clean and jerk gold and silver on total.
"This was the big one for me, this is special," Rainibogi, whose training preparations were for two competitions rather than one, said.
Nineteen days ago he won gold at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, which doubled up as the Oceania Championships. He missed his last two attempts in a total of 357kg there.
"There were no failures today," the IWF said.
Taniela Rainibogi Photo: DBM Srl Deepbluemedia
The 2023 Pacific Games Male Athlete of the Year said he has trained hard.
"I trained hard, and this time we had a special training camp in Samoa where I lifted with my friend Don," the 25-year-old said.
He was referring to Don Opeloge, the Samoan who won a clean and jerk medal in Doha on Tuesday and is well placed to qualify for Paris 2024 at 102kg.
Rainibogi, who weighed in at 107.9kg, will drop down to the Olympic weight for his last two qualifiers in New Zealand and Thailand next year. If he can match today's numbers he will be only 6kg behind Opeloge in the Paris rankings.
His improvement is all the remarkable given he had three years out of the sport after finishing third at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, when he lifted at 85kg.
During a dispute between Fiji's athletes and their federation, Rainibogi moved to New Zealand.
"I did seasonal work there, and came back to Fiji when it was all sorted out," he said. "Then I worked in construction, carrying bricks."
He bulked up by more than 20kg, trained again on his home island of Levuka, and now trains full-time in Suva, the capital.
Fiji Weightlifting Federation president and former Pacific champion Della Shaw Elder said they were grateful to all who had assisted in Rainibogi's preparations.
She also acknowledged Divine Intervention, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the Fiji Sports Commission for Rainibogi's rise.
"Yes Lord, to you and you alone be glorified. Congratulations to Dan Rainibogi for winning medals at World Stage event. silver in Snatch bronze in the Clean N jerk and Bronze in the total," she said on her Facebook page.
"He also broke six records, three Oceania records and three Commonwealth records.
"Thank you to our Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the government of Fiji and the Sports Commission Mr Peter Mazey for making this trip possible and we have done it for Fiji.
"Coach Henry Nagatalevu Suguta Elder congratulations and thank you for believing in this athletes, to you and your support team in Qatar, you have all made us proud. To Dan's wife and family thank you for supporting him throughout this year. Dan has end this year with a high note.
"Few people I wish to personally thank, Mr Desi Ashok, Mr Daniel Whippy, Atma Maharaj , Sikeli Tuinamuana Mr Chris Campbell and Mark Stitt, Thank you all for your continuing support forwards Weighlifting. Vinaka Jisu na Loloma."
Rainibogi arrived back in Fiji with coach Elder and his support team on Friday.
Taniela Rainibogi Photo: Team Fiji