Oceania Weightlifting Federation

Latest News March 31 , 2011

INSTITUTE LIFTERS SUCCESSFUL AT THE 2011 ARNOLD INTERNATIONAL.

The highlight of this years Arnold International Tournament held in Columbus – Ohio on March the 5th was the Pacific Islands against the USA team. There were some excellent results from both teams. The six Oceania institute lifters representing the Pacific Islands were : Manueli Tulo (), Manuel Minginfel (FSM), Yukio Peter, Itte Detenamo (Nauru), Steven Kari () and David Katoatau (Kiribati).

The event was brilliantly organised by the competition directors, Mark Canella and Dan Bell. The volunteers were superb and the crowds were outstanding.

A special thanks must also go to Stephen Powell, Ryan Kyle and Rachel Crass for assisting the Pacific Island team during the competition.

It was also great to see Arnold Schwarzenegger at the competition. It makes a lot of difference when you have a person like Arnold make an appearance and take a Arnold Schwarzenegger with some of the Pacific genuine interest in an event such as this. The Institute looks forward to a rematch Islands Team members. against USA next year – hopefully this time with a full team.

NAURU VISIT The General Secretary of the OWF, Paul Coffa, on February 13th returned to Nauru after a spell of 10 years. Weightlifting is still a leading sport on the island, with an enormous number of kids training at the gym. Whilst he was there he attended the Tyoni Batsiua Memorial Cup with 31 lifters taking part. A coaching seminar was held during his visit.

The Nauru Weightlifting Federation held its AGM, with a new President and General Secretary being elected . The new President is the Hon. Dogabe Jeremiah, whilst the General Secretary is Dominic Cain, who is also the Nauru Olympic Committee Sports Development Officer. Treasurer is Decalina Joram - Detudamo and the Vice President is former Olympian, Sheeva Peo- Cook.

Paul Coffa was also accompanied by Trent Dabwido who is the new Assistant Secretary of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation. Most of the top lifters from the past attended the coaching seminar and the Tyoni Batsiua Tournament including Isca Kam, Renos Doweiya, Alkali Thoma, Rudin Thoma, Quincy Detenamo, Rutherford Jeremiah, Jaxson Jeremiah, Starron Dowabobo, Kemp Detenamo, Daiga Agir Aremwa Aremwa, Tommy Daniel, and many others including the present lifters. Also most of the famous Nauruan dolphins were there including Nita Uera, Sheeva Peo, Sheba Deireragea, Mary Diringa, Decalina Joram, Suzan Hiram, Ejab Raidinen and others.

In all, over 100 gold medallists from the and Mini Pacific Games, attended the competition. And let’s not forget the one and only Gerard Jones, who continues to bring to the sport future champions. In the group photo below Gerard is in the third row, extreme left, overlooking the new breed of Nauruan lifters. This year’s Tyoni Batsiua Memorial Tournament had an added significance. Tyoni’s young daughter, ‘Oceania’ competed for the first time in memory of her mother.

Some the Nauruan lifters in attendance with Paul Coffa. 11 year old Oceania Batsiua with Paul Coffa

CHINESE GRAND PRIX The Chinese Grand Prix held on January 15- 17 was an excellent event. It was well organised and also well attended. In fact 35 countries were present on this occasion. The Chinese Weightlifting Federation must be congratulated on this initiative. There is a lot of future in this concept and it could become a major marketing tool for the IWF. Congratulations to Mr. Ma Wenguang, General Secretary of the IWF and President of the Chinese Weightlifting Federation. The General Secretary of the OWF was an invited guest at this event.

Guests of the Chinese Weightlifting Association at the China IWF Weightlifting The incredible weightlifting complex in Fuzhou. Grand Prix held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province on January 15-17,2011

DISASTERS HIT OCEANIA REGION Unprecedented weather has caused drastic loss and devastation in the Oceania region in the first three months of this year. First the floods which devastated the state of Queensland in also came with the tragedy of losing two members of the weightlifting family in Australia.

On the 10th January, Steve and Sandra Matthews were swept away in tragic circumstances as a result of flash flooding. Both of them were members of the Toowoomba Weightlifting Association. Steve was a competitor, official and volunteer representing both Queensland and Australia as a Masters athlete.

Then and the Institute experienced a cyclone with flash flooding which Steve and Sandra Matthews unfortunately flooded the training area of the Institute leaving platforms floating, with bars and weights under water. Another super cyclone hit Queensland again, followed by a tragic earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, where many lives were lost. And let’s not forget just a few weeks ago, again in the Pacific, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, total devastation and which put every Pacific Island in Oceania on tsunami alert.

PACIFIC ISLANDS EMAIL TOURNAMENT A very successful Pacific Islands Email Tournament was held in the month of February. 167 competitors took part from the following countries: New Caledonia, Cook Islands, American , Tuvalu, Palau, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Nauru and Micronesia (FSM).On behalf of the OWF we wish to thank those countries who participated. Medals will be given to the first, second and third place getters in each category.

FIRST RECORD TO TUVALU Tuvaluan junior weightlifter Lapua Lapua, competing in the email tournament on the February the 25th set a new South Pacific Junior record in the snatch with 106kg in the 62kg category. This is the first ever Tuvaluan athlete who has set a regional record in an Olympic sport.

ARAFURA GAMES AND OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS The Arafura Games and Oceania Senior, Junior and Youth Championships will be held next month in Darwin. The dates of weightlifting are May 11th, 12th and 13th. I urge all those countries who wish to compete at these championships and have not entered as yet, to enter by the closing date which is the 8th April. If you have any queries regarding these championships please contact the competition director Phil Maunder on his email [email protected] Also you can get more information on the Arafura Games and Oceania Championships by visiting the OWF website on www.oceaniaweightlifting.com

VALE One of the greatest weightlifters of the past Hungarian born Győző (Victor) Veres passed away in Melbourne on February the 1st at the age of 74.

Born in Berekböszörmény on 13 June 1936, he was the first Hungarian weightlifter to win a world title. He was twice Olympic bronze medallist and was world champion in 1962 and 1963. He was also many times European champion and he set 16 world records in his career.

After ending his sports career in 1970, he worked as a coach with the Hungarian National Team and with his club in Tatabánya . In 1973, Győző Veres worked as a coach in Turkey before moving to Australia in 1974 with his family where he coached and guided quite a number of top Australian lifters for a number of years. The OWF expresses its deep condolences to the Veres family. Győző (Victor) Veres . GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS Niue – Congratulations to Alan Tano, President of Niue Weightlifting for being reappointed General Secretary of the Niue Sports Federation and Olympic Committee. Tonga - Congratulations also to Vili Tu’amoheloa who was reappointed President of the Federation and Michael Bloomfield reappointed General Secretary once again. The Vice Presidents are Peni Tu’ihalangingie and Malakai Kaufusi. The Treasurer is Rev.Kava Fisi’ihoi. Solomon Islands - Also held their annual general meeting. Andrew Nori was re-elected President again whilst the new General Secretary is now Martin Rara . The Vice President is David Firisua and the Treasurer Joel Benjamin. The national coach is Leslie Ata. Nauru - The AGM produced a new President and General Secretary for Nauru. The President is the Hon. Dogabe Jeremiah whilst the new General Secretary is Dominic Cain. The Vice President is former Olympian, Sheeva Peo- Cook, whilst the Treasurer is Decalina Detudamo.

ONOC GENERAL ASSEMBLY The Oceania National Olympic Committee Assembly was held this year in Noumea –New Caledonia from March 24th – 26th at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). The magnificent forum suited the occasion of the ONOC Assembly. Quite a few IOC members were also in attendance, as well as all Pacific NOC leaders. The Assembly gave the opportunity to the bidding cities of the 2018 Winter Olympics to put forward their presentations. The Oceania Weightlifting Federation was represented by its President, H.E. Marcus Stephen and also the General Secretary, Paul Coffa. Also present was the IWF Vice President Sam Coffa, in his capacity as the President of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association. Having the Assembly in New Caledonia, gave the opportunity to many NOC leaders to visit the Oceania Weightlifting Institute. All who visited the Institute, were very impressed with the facilities. Congratulations to Dr. Robin Mitchell, President of ONOC, Ric Blas, General Secretary of ONOC, Dennis Miller, Executive Director of ONOC and all the ONOC staff for an outstanding job. Special thanks must go also to the host NOC the Comite Territorial Olympique et Sportif (CTOS) for their outstanding efforts in the organization of the event.

Auvita Rapilla General Secretary of the PNG National Olympic Sam Coffa in his capacity as President of the Australian Commonwealth Committee together with Andrew Lepani visiting the Institute. Games Association with the CEO of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid, Mark Peters, at the Institute with some of the lifters . OWF CONGRESS TO BE HELD IN NOUMEA The 2011 Oceania Weightlifting Federation annual congress will be held in Noumea on September 3rd, during the Pacific Games. The reason for this is that 19 countries will be attending the Games in weightlifting and if we include NZ and Australian delegates we will have for the first time 21 countries attending. This will certainly be a record.

The “Big Boys” of the Pacific paid a visit to the Institute. In the photo amongst the lifters are: Joe Carlo- Vanuatu, Vice President of ONOC and President of the Vanuatu Weightlifting Federation, Fred Maetoloa President of the National Olympic Committee of the Solomon Islands, Rota Onorio the General Secretary of the Kiribati National Olympic Committee and its First Vice President David Collins.

The President of the Wallis & Futuna Olympic Committee (Territorial) and members of the 2013 Mini Pacific Games paid a visit to the Institute and held a meeting with the OWF General Secretary with regards to weightlifting at the 2013 Mini Games. Weightlifting is one of the 8 sports at the Games.

Coming Events  May 10- 13 Darwin – Australia, 2011 Arafura Games & Oceania Senior, Junior & Youth Championships.  June 26- July 7 Penang -Malaysia 2011 World Junior Championships  July 22-24 OWF office, The 2010 ZKC Email international club tournament  August 27-September 10 Noumea- New Caledonia, XIV Pacific Games

Paul Coffa MBE OWF General Secretary