Meli Laddpeter 
Weightlifter Nemaiah Elder
For weightlifter Nemaiah Elder, winning the Young Male Athlete of the Year for two consecutive years is a huge achievement this early in his weightlifting journey.
The 15-year-old received the award once again on Saturday night during the 2024 Fiji Sports Awards Night in Suva, and is happy that all his efforts and hard work has not gone un-noticed.
Elder, who is also the son of the national weightlifting coach Henry Elder, has stamped his mark as one of the best lifters in the country.
“Very happy, very relieved and very grateful that I won this award. I’ve come a long way, constantly training, happy to come out on top and congratulations to the other nominees.”
However, there’s no time for celebration as Elder says training is still full swing every week, as they anticipate a busy 2025.
Some of his notable achievements was winning silver in the 2023 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, being named the Best Youth Male Lifter title at the recent Oceania Championships in Auckland last year.
He also won double gold in the men’s junior and youth categories at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in Suva last year.
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