NATIONAL weight-lifting coach Josefa Vueti is happy with Manueli Tulo’s recent achievement in the 2016 Australia Open Weightlifting Championship.
Tulo who is based at the Oceania Weightlifting institute in Mont Dore in New Caledonia was at his top form finishing first in the competition.
He competed in the 56 kilograms weight category and had a lift of 105 kg in the snatch and 134 kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 242 kg enabling him to win a gold medal for Fiji.
Vueti said he had improved a lot.
“He did very well in the competition and lifted a total of 242kg and if he could improve on that then he may qualify from the competition,” he said.
“Tulo is getting trained very well under Paul Coffa.
“He has come a very long way in his career and has a lot to offer. His highest achievement was 240 before at the Oceania Championship in 2010.”
Vueti said Tulo failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil in August.
“Manueli did not make the qualification in Australia competition but we hope to make him qualify from the Oceania competition,” he added.
“He has very good chances since he is one of the talented weight-lifters in the country. Everyone is looking forward for the competition.
“Only a male and a female will qualify from the Oceania for the Olympic Games.”
Fijian weight-lifters have their last chance to qualify for the Olympics in the Oceania Weightlifting Championship in May.
