THERE is no room for failure for Rio 2016 Olympics weight-lifting female front runner Apolonia Vaivai.
The 25-year-old, originally of Tavuki Village in Taveuni, made this firm statement in an interview with this newspaper at the Old Capital Levuka this week, saying: I have to lift in Rio.”
At today’s final test in Suva, Vaivai will have to put words into action and “stamp my position in the Team Fiji”.
The Fiji Times visited Vaivai and shadow potential Mesake Raiviu who were training at the temporary weight-ifting high performance centre at Baba in Levuka. The main centre was destroyed at the height of Tropical Cyclone Winston.
Men frontrunner for Rio Manueli Tulo and strong female potential Eileen Cikamatana, 16, are training in New Caledonia.
As for Vaivai, her time is now.
“After winning the Oceania Weightlifting Championship this year (gold – 69kg category), it gave me more motivation to compete in the Rio Olympics. So right now for me, I am focused on getting selected for Rio,” Vaivai said.
“Right now, I am focussing on my lifts and challenging myself to lift more weight than I did previously.”
Vaivai has been working on improving her lifts to 95-100kg power snatch and 120kg clean and jerk.
“My only competition is the bar. It is a dead thing, I am the one who is alive so my mission is to be able to lift just about any weight.”
She acknowledged there were difficulties and challenges but as she thanks God for His guidance, she said acknowledging it made her feel more in a position to deal with it.
Vaivai will be accompanied by Team Fiji national coach Joe Vueti who are expected in Suva today for the final weightlifting test to determine the two athletes for the Rio Olympics.
