Daniel Shaw put up a brave fight in the men’s weightlifting 81kg category that surprised his father and coach Henry Elder.
Placed in the top five after his lift at Maranatha Hall in the Solomon Islands yesterday, Shaw managed to clear 115kg in the snatch, 152kg in the clean and jerk, totaling 265kg.
Elder said they had worked hard building up to the Pacific Games and despite not getting a medal, he was proud of Shaw’s performance.
“Over the last few months, we’ve worked a lot on his snatch, he’s been failing a lot in the 105 but over the last three weeks we sharpened up where he got 110 but never a 115,” Elder said.
“Today (yesterday) he gone over with three straight snatches and just missed out on the last clean and jerk would have probably got him a medal. Daniel is someone who has talent but physically he doesn’t look like a weightlifter.”
The head coach added Shaw had set a new platform.
“For an 18-year-old boy to lift a 150kg with a body weight of 79kg, I’m extremely proud of him and I’m very thankful for the handwork he has put in, the sacrifices which has put in the top five in the senior Oceania region.
“When you compare with his performance in Saipan during the Mini Games, he lifted way below this so I’m happy.”
Meanwhile, five Fiji lifters will take centre stage at Maranatha Hall today and these include Zion Tokona in the men’s 96kg, Makare Tavanavanua in the 81kg, Timothy Vakuruivalu in the men’s 102 category, Miriama Baba and Leyna-May Domonatani in the women’s 87kg category.
