Oala lifting weights to glory

 By KYMLIE KARANI

Fred Oala is aiming big after his return from the Oceania Weightlifting Championships which was held in Australia from July 11-14.

Thoug small in size, Oala says it didn’t matter as it was the passion and determination that counts.

Oala began representative duties in 2010 at the Oceania Weightlifting Championships in Fiji where he took bronze in his category.

The 16-year-old, Oala said he was passionate about weightlifting and where the sport can take him.

“I look up to my favourites Steven Kari and Dika Toua. They motivate me to become better like them,” he said.

The partly Motu-Koita and Kairuku chap, in the Central province, specializes in the 56kg category.

Oala won three medals, bronze in both the senior male and youth divisions and gold in the junior division, before taking out the Best Youth Male Lifter Award the Championships.