Update: 3:56PM RO Vilitati Qumivutia is an influential, inspirational, ironic figure of Fiji Sports and a dedicated man that has brought weightlifting to where it is now.
Those were the words described by Weightlifting Fiji
secretary Chris Yee during the late Qumivutia’s funeral service at Calvary
Temple in Samabula yesterday.
Yee said amongst many household sporting names it was
Ro Vilitati destiny to make his mark in sports as he did.
“Ro Vilitati had the honour to become Fiji’s foremost
weightlifter by being the first Fiji athlete to ever represent Fiji at any
International weightlifting competition,” he said.
Vilitati continued with his personal passion, and went
on to win Gold at the 1966 South Pacific Games, in Noumea, New Caledonia
(347.5kg), another Gold at the 1969 SPG in Papua New Guinea (365kg) and a
Silver medal at the 1971 SPG in Tahiti (367kg).
