FIJIAN weightlifter Eileen Cikamatana has been labelled by Australian Weightlifting Federation as a sporting rare gem.
There has been scarce moments in Fijian sports when an athlete is labelled as a prodigy, but that is exactly what AWF president Sam Coffa called Cikamatana when she unofficially smashed 46 Australian weight-lifting records and two world junior records in Sydney last fortnight and in May.
Oxford Dictionary says prodigy is a young person who is unusually intelligent or skilful for their age.
“Eileen Cikamatana is a prodigy. We will do everything possible to assist her in achieving her ambition,” Coffa told The Fiji Times last week.”
When Cikamatana, who will turn 20 next month, first competed in Australia in May after being suspended last year by Weightlifting Fiji, Coffa wrote: “I have been involved in weight-lifting for almost 65 years and I have never witnessed a performance like I did last Saturday in Sydney, during the inter-state tournament between the ACT and NSW.
“A performance by a young lady, 19 years of age, Eileen Cikamatana from NSW, which was simply sensational. Competing in the 81kg category, Eileen succeeded with six lifts out of six. She snatched 118kg and clean & jerked 150kg for a total of 268kg.
“Looking at the IWF current ranking list, her performance last Saturday would rank her in the 81kg category number one in the world junior rankings by 51Kg. At senior level she would rank first also by 18kg. An amazing performance.
“The world junior standard in the 81kg category, in the snatch, is 118kg. She equalled the world record on her third attempt. Her three snatches were 107kg, 112kg, and 118kg. In the clean & jerk, the world junior standard is 145kg. She started on 141kg, and then surpassed that record in her second clean & jerk with 146kg and then went on in her third lift and clean & jerked 150kg. “The total standard record is 259kg. Eileen equalled the record on her first attempt. She went on in her second attempt totalling 265kg. Her successful third attempt in the clean & jerk of 150kg pushed the total up to 268kg.
“(However it must be noted that world records can only be broken at IWF international events, therefore they cannot be claimed) The crowd watched in absolute awe of what they witnessed. Eileen Cikamatana is now living in Sydney, Australia and has received from the Australian Government permanent residency. Eileen’s snatch of 118kg, clean & jerk of 150kg and total 268kg, smashed all Australian junior and senior records.
“She also smashed all Oceania senior and junior records, as well as all Commonwealth senior and junior records (the Oceania and Commonwealth records cannot be claimed).
“Once Eileen receives her citizenship and goes through all proper procedures with the IWF, then Eileen will be representing Australia on the international platform, and we all look forward to that!”
AWF chief executive officer Ian Moir said: “We hope that she will receive her Australian Citizenship and passport very soon and in that case, it is possible that we will see her compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”
