Letter From Paul Coffa

Dear Friends,

As we get closer to the eve of the Olympic Games and after four years of work by everyone, I am taking this opportunity to thank all NOC’s and National Federations for their support to weightlifting and to their athletes.

Specifically to ONOC / Solidarity for their outstanding support to the Oceania Weightlifting Institute and to the athletes who have been supported by the solidarity programs.

The ten lifters of the Pacific Islands who have made Beijing will arrive in Beijing in the next few days and will move in with their respective delegations. I am pleased that all lifters have reached this final stage injury free. Each and everyone of them is looking forward to the competition. We are delighted that we have Ele Opeloge (Samoa) and Deborah Lovely (Australia) competing in the 75+kg finals, as well as Dika Toua (PNG) in the 53kg finals. And I expect Manuel Minginfel (FSM) also to be in the 62kg finals and perhaps one or two more lifters. But of course we will not know this for sure until the verification of entries which at this stage is set for Thursday, 7th August. I will advise the 12 countries concerned once I get to Beijing as to when the exact time of the verification meeting will be held.

Below you will find the timetable as to when these athletes are training and also the timetable of their competitions. Also attached please find the set up of the training hall in Beijing. This is my seventh Olympics and I have never quite seen anything like this. There are 50 platforms available for training, the latest equipment and no expense has been spared.

I thank you all again and I look forward to see you all in Beijing.

Kindest regards,

Paul Coffa


Training time table of the athletes of the Oceania region

MONDAY 4TH 9.00 AM TO 11.00 AM. AUS, NZL, SAM, PNG, FSM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ, SOL,TUV and TGA.

TUESDAY 5TH 5.00PM TO 7.00PM AUS, NZL, SAM, PNG, FSM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ, SOL,TUV and TGA

WEDNESDAY 6TH 3.00PM TO 5.00PM AUS, NZL, SAM, PNG, FSM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ, SOL,TUV and TGA

THURSDAY 7TH 1.00PM TO 3.00PM AUS, NZL, SAM, PNG, FSM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ, SOL,TUV and TGA

FRIDAY 8TH 11.00AM TO 1.00PM AUS, NZL, SAM, PNG, FSM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ, SOL,TUV and TGA

SATURDAY 9TH 9.00 AM TO 11.00AM AUS, NZL, SAM, PNG, FSM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ, SOL,TUV and TGA

SUNDAY 10TH 5.00PM TO 7.00PM AUS, NZL, SAM, FSM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ, SOL,TUV and TGA

MONDAY 11TH 3.00PM TO 5.00PM AUS, NZL, SAM, NRU, KIR, COK, FIJ,TUV and TGA

TUESDAY 12TH 1.00PM TO 3.00PM AUS, SAM, NRU, KIR, COK, and TGA

WEDNESDAY 13TH 11.00AM - 1.00PM AUS, SAM, NRU, KIR, COK, and TGA

THURSDAY 14TH 9.00AM - 11.00AM AUS, SAM, NRU, KIR, COK, and TGA

FRIDAY 15TH 5.00 PM TO 7.00PM AUS, SAM, NRU, COK, and TGA

SATURDAY 16TH 3.00PM TO 5.00PM AUS, NRU, COK, and TGA

SUNDAY 17TH 1.00PM TO 3.00PM AUS, NRU, COK, and TGA

MONDAY 18TH 11.00AM TO 1.00PM AUS, NRU, COK, and TGA


Competition Timetable

SUNDAY 10TH AT 15.30 53kg category WOMEN Final - Dika Toua (Papua New Guinea)

MONDAY 11TH AT 12.30 58kg category WOMEN B session - Wendy Hale (Solomon Islands)(could lift in the final session at 15.30) We will know this on Thursday the 7th

MONDAY 11TH AT 10.00 62kg category MEN B session - Manuel Minginfel (FSM) (could lift in the final session at 19.00) We will know this on Thursday the 7th

TUESDAY 12TH AT 10.00 69kg category MEN B session - Logona Esau (Tuvalu),

- Mark Spooner (New Zealand),

- Joe Vueti (Fiji)

WEDNESDAY 13TH AT 10.00 77kg category MEN B session - Richard Patterson (New Zealand)

FRIDAY 15TH AT 10.00 85kg category MEN B session - David Katoatau (Kiribati)

SATURDAY 16TH AT 19.00 +75kg category WOMEN Final - Ele Opeloge (Samoa),

- Deborah Lovely (Australia)

TUESDAY 19TH AT 15.30 +105kg category MEN B session - Maamaloa Lolohea (Tonga),

- Samuel Pera (Cook Islands),

- Itte Detenamo (Nauru),

- Damon Kelly (Australia)

Again one of these lifters may be lifting in the finals and we will know this for certain on the 7th August.