WEIGHTLIFTING Fiji has a new team manager despite allegations yesterday of a move to stop some players from competing in the Oceania Weightlifting Championships in New Caledonia from June 26-30. She is Makitalena Cikamatana, the mother of Commonwealth Games gold medallist Eileen. Makitalena has been appointed the team manager for the upcoming Oceania Weightlifting Championships to be held in New Caledonia from June 26-30.
“This will be her first time managing a team to a championship,” WF general secretary Ritesh Ratiman said.
“Makitalena attended the Oceania Sport Education Program’s (OSEP) team manager training last September and put her hand up to lead the team at Weightlifting Fiji’s (WF) executive board meeting on April 29.”
She is based in Ovalau and is a WF vice-president. Ratiman said a large part of the team would come from Ovalau.
“The team will mainly consist of youths, some will be travelling out of the country for the first time. WF is sending a team of six boys and six girls.”
The championship is a team-based qualification event for the Youth Olympic Games to be held in October in Argentina.
The youth category at this year’s Oceania Championship is any athlete born between January 2001 and December 2005. Athletes such as Sofia Kinikinilau and Maria Mareta will compete to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games which will be held in Buenos Aires in October.
Eileen, who is training in Noumea, will also compete.
