New Oceania Role For Vueti
Josefa Vueti has been appointed as the Development Officer for the Oceania Weightlifting Federation.
Vueti, Weightlifting Fiji’s development officer, had accepted the role but held off on starting in the role until the completion of the Commonwealth Games.
In his new role, Vueti will be assisting the OWF general secretary, Paul Coffa, in:
■Oceania Talent Identification Program(OTIP)
■OTIP camp at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute
■Coaching seminars throughout the islands
■When necessary to also assist with coaching of elite athletes at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute
Part of his responsibilities are to grow and develop the sport in the region and his initial responsibilities are to run Talent Identification Programmes in Micronesia.
Vueti is expected to be in Noumea for several weeks to assist in the organisation of the upcoming Oceania Weightlifting Championships, which will be held at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute, in Noumea, New Caledonia, in June.
‘I’m very happy to have landed this job. I started my career as an athlete and I want to help grow the sport in the region,” Vueti said. “The Oceania countries are doing very well in weightlifting now and I wish to take the sport to greater heights.”
Weightlifting Fiji’s president, Atma Maharaj, congratulated Vueti on his appointment.
“This is another feather in Weightlifting Fiji’s cap to have one of its members being given the responsibility of growing the sport in the region,” Maharaj said.
“I know Joe will do well and wish him well in his new role”. Atma added that “as Joe will be based in Fiji, Weightlifting Fiji will be closely looking at the best way to cooperate with Joe and OWF to achieve targeted participation levels in Fiji (especially at development levels) and to reach performance targets of elite Fiji weightlifters. Joe’s participation in Fiji’s programmes will be at the
specific request of Weightlifting Fiji and with the approval of OWF, Joe’s employer.”
Joe represented Fiji at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and also at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, in Melbourne.
He won gold medals at the 2003 and 2007 Pacific Games, 2001 & 2009 Pacific Mini Games, and also at the 2000 Commonwealth Championships, in Nauru.
He was one of the coaches for Eileen Cikamatana at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where she won Fiji’s only gold medal. He also coached Apolonia Vaivai who won a bronze medal.
In 2010, Vueti Joe was given an IOC Coaching Scholarship to complete his Oceania Regional Coaching Diploma at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute. Upon his return, Joe was appointed Weightlifting Fiji’s first ever development Officer.
Joe has served as National Coach for various international competitions since 2010.
He has twice won the Coach of the Year award at the Fiji Sports Awards, in 2013 and 2015.