The Tuvalu Weightlifting Federation (TWF) is the organisation recognised by the International Weightlifting Federation as the

weightlifting Weightlifting generally refers to activities in which people lift Weight training#Equipment, weights, often in the form of dumbbells or barbells. People lift various kinds of weights for a variety of different reasons. These may include various t ...

federation of

Tuvalu Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-northeast ...

History

The Tuvalu Weightlifting Federation (TWF) staged its first national competition on 2 July 2013 as part of the

Tuvalu Games The Tuvalu Games is a multi-sport event, much like the Pacific Games (although on a much smaller scale), with participation exclusively from islands around Tuvalu. History The Games began in 2008, hosted in the capital, Funafuti. All 8 islands ca ...

. The Tuvalu Athletics Association (TAA) allowed the TWF to organized the weightlifting competition, although the event was not sanctioned by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). The competition involved 6 females and 18 males. The formation of the TWF follows the success of Tuvaluan weightlifters at international competitions.

Logona Esau Logona Esau (born 2 March 1987 on Nukufetau) is a Tuvaluan weightlifter. Biography He was the first athlete from Tuvalu to win a medal at an international competition, when he took bronze in the 62 kg combined event at the 2005 South Paci ...

was the first athlete from Tuvalu to win a medal at an international competition, when he took bronze at the

2005 South Pacific Mini Games The VII South Pacific Mini Games were held July 25-August 4, 2005 in Palau. Torch lighter was athlete Christopher Silas Adolf, Palau's first Olympian. Participating countries Tahiti and Tokelau did not send teams to the games, with Tahiti cit ...

in the 62 kg male division, In 2007, he won a silver medal in the men's 69 kg

clean and jerk The clean and jerk is a composite of two weightlifting movements, most often performed with a barbell: the clean and the jerk. During the ''clean'', the lifter moves the barbell from the floor to a racked position across the deltoids, without res ...

at the Pacific Games, lifting 141 kg. Esau also represented

Tuvalu at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Tuvalu was represented at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne by a 5-member strong contingent comprising 4 sportspersons and 1 official. Tuvalu entered competitors in shooting, table tennis and weightlifting. 2006 marked Tuvalu's third partic ...

and also represented

Tuvalu at the 2008 Summer Olympics Tuvalu competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, from 8 to 24 August 2008. This was the nation's first ever appearance in an Olympic Game. The delegation included two track and field athletes and one weightlifter. Okilani Tinilau ...

. Ioane Haumili and

Tuau Lapua Lapua Tuau Lapua Lapua (born 15 April 1991 in Nanumaga) is a Tuvalu Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situa ...

represented Tuvalu at the

2010 Commonwealth Games The 2010 Commonwealth Games (Hindi: 2010 राष्ट्रमण्डल खेल), officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event that was held in Delhi, India, f ...

. Ioane Haumili and

have trained at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute and they have assisted in the coaching of Tuvaluan weightlifters. Uluao Lauti, who is a former weightlifting representative of Tuvalu, has also assisted during training. Lauti had participated in the Oceania Regional Coaching Workshop in 2003, and is recognized as a Commonwealth international referee. At the

2013 Pacific Mini Games The 2013 Pacific Mini Games was the ninth edition of these Mini Games. They were held in Mata Utu in Wallis and Futuna from 2 to 12 September 2013. Participating countries and territories There were 22 nations at the 2013 games: * Note: The M ...

, Tuau Lapua Lapua won Tuvalu's first gold medal in an international competition in the weightlifting 62 kg snatch, male division. (He also won bronze in the

, and obtained the silver medal overall for the combined event.) In 2015 the TWF sent a team to the Commonwealth Youth Games. The TWF prepared a team for the

2015 Pacific Games The 2015 Pacific Games, also known as Port Moresby 2015 or POM 2015, was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 4 to 18 July 2015. It was the fifteenth staging of the Pacific Games as well as the third to be hosted in Port Moresby. More tha ...

held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Thirteen athletes qualified in weightlifting to represent

Tuvalu at the 2015 Pacific Games Tuvalu competed at the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from 4 to 18 July 2015. Nakibae Kitisane was the Chef de Mission. Tuvalu listed 101 competitors as of 4 July 2015. Four competitors qualified for two sports. Tuvalu was ra ...

and the Senior, Youth & Junior Oceania Weightlifting Championships 2015, which were held same time as the competition for weightlifting at the 2015 Pacific Games. Manuila Raobu participated in the men’s 62 kg weightlifting snatch event at the

2017 Pacific Mini Games The 2017 Pacific Mini Games were held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in December 2017. It was the tenth edition of the Pacific Mini Games, and the second to be hosted in Vanuatu (after the 1993 games). Host selection Vanuatu was awarded the right to h ...

, winning a bronze medal.

Notable Tuvaluan weightlifters

: 62 kg male division, combined event at the

; 69 kg

at the Pacific Games, lifting 141 kg. *

: 62 kg clean and jerk, male division, 62 kg Snatch, male division; and 62 kg combined event in

weightlifting at the 2011 Pacific Games Weightlifting at the 2011 Pacific Games in Nouméa, New Caledonia was held on September 5–7, 2011. Medal summary Medal table Ranking by Big (Total result) medals Ranking by all medals: Big (Total result) and Small (Snatch and Clean & Jerk ...

; and 62 kg; snatch; 62 kg clean and jerk; and for the combined event at the

Affiliations

* Tuvalu Athletics Association (TAA) *

Oceania Weightlifting Federation Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...

(OWF) * Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation (CWF) * International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)

References

{{Sports governing bodies in Tuvalu

Weightlifting Weightlifting generally refers to activities in which people lift Weight training#Equipment, weights, often in the form of dumbbells or barbells. People lift various kinds of weights for a variety of different reasons. These may include various t ...

National members of the International Weightlifting Federation Sports organizations established in 2013 2013 establishments in Tuvalu