Fiji Sports Awards Young Male Athlete of the Year nominee, Nehemiah Elder

Fiji Sports Awards Young Male Athlete of the Year nominee, Nehemiah Elder, aims to raise the profile of weightlifting, particularly in encouraging more young people to join the sport.

He says being nominated for the 2023 Fiji Sports Awards gives him a greater opportunity to advocate for the sport, especially among younger people.

Elder adds that while he’s excited to be nominated, he believes there is still much more he can do to improve.

“Honestly, I’m happy and all, but I wasn’t too excited because it’s always been my dream to be here. But it’s not over until the awards are actually given, so yeah, I’m pretty happy about it.”

The 15-year-old, who is currently ranked in the top 10 in the world youth category, believes there are more talented lifters out there who are just waiting for the right moment to join and make it big in the sport.

Other nominees for the Young Male Athlete of the Year are Gregory Wise from Hockey, Erik Tokona of Swimming and Triathlon, and also in the running is Nidish Nand from Taekwondo.

The Fiji Sports Awards will be held on Saturday at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.