FORMER Fiji weight-lifter and FASANOC Hall of Fame inductee Vilitati Qumivutia will be laid to rest today at the Suva cemetery.
He died earlier this month after a short illness. His daughter Ana Derenalagi said her father was a very hard working person who ensured his children were provided everything.
“He passed away after a short illness and he was a loving father to us,” Derenalagi said.
“We are very proud of his achievement in sports and in his working career as he worked until the age of 80 as the general sales manager for Bank South Pacific. He provided everything we wanted and he put us through school and a roof over our head, so we are proud of him.”
FASANOC reported that Qumivutia was Fiji’s foremost weight-lifter and was the first athlete to represent Fiji at an international weight-lifting competition. In 1962 he competed at the 7th British Empire and Commonwealth Games, held in Perth, Australia where he was placed 4th in the 110kg category. His participation in Perth was only able to take place with the formation of a weight-lifting association in Fiji, which he had a key role in establishing. He was the 1966 FASA Sportsman of the Year, 1966 Fiji team captain and flag bearer at the 1969 South Pacific Games.
Weightlifting Fiji’s Christopher Yee said it was a huge loss to the sport.
“It is sad losing one of the great men whom I know in weight-lifting. It is a sad news for the weight-lifting family.”
The funeral service begins at 9.30am today at Calvary Temple.
