Meli Laddpeter 
For Olimaipa Secivo, winning a medal in her first-ever tournament is a huge achievement in itself.
The 17-year-old won bronze in the Women’s 81Kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship at the Vodafone Arena yesterday.
The Votualevu College student had only recently taken up the sport and believes she has found her calling in weightlifting.
She says competing against some of the best lifters in the world is an achievement in itself, winning a medal is just the icing on the cake.
She says the journey to winning a medal has not been easy, and admits she couldn’t have gotten this far if it wasn’t for the support of her family and coaches.
“And I would like to thank all my supporters, my mother back at home, my siblings and my cousin who lives with us. And the coaches, management and my teammates, their endless support has helped us so much.”
The youngster still has a long way to go, and she admits she aims to represent the country in future competitions.
