David Katoatau

David Katoatau (born 17 July 1984) is an I-Kiribati weightlifter who received international press attention due to dance routines he performed following his lifts at the 2016 Summer Olympics, in order to bring attention to the impact of climate change on Kiribati.

David Katoatau
Personal information
NationalityI-Kiribati
Born (1984-07-17) 17 July 1984
Nonouti, Kiribati
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Weight104.58 kg (230.6 lb)
Sport
Country Kiribati
SportWeightlifting
PartnerRuby Ruevita
Coached byKauabanga Riannaba
Medal record
Men's weightlifting
Representing  Kiribati
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place2014 Glasgow105 kg
Pacific Games
Gold medal – first place2015 Port Moresby105 kg
Gold medal – first place2019 Apia102 kg
Silver medal – second place2007 Apia85 kg
Silver medal – second place2011 Nouméa94 kg
Commonwealth Championships
Gold medal – first place2009 Penang85 kg
Gold medal – first place2012 Apia94 kg
Gold medal – first place2013 Brisbane105 kg
Gold medal – first place2015 Pune105 kg
Silver medal – second place2016 Penang105 kg
Silver medal – second place2019 Apia102 kg
Oceania Championships
Gold medal – first place2007 Apia94 kg
Gold medal – first place2009 Darwin94 kg
Gold medal – first place2012 Apia94 kg
Gold medal – first place2013 Brisbane105 kg
Gold medal – first place2014 Le Mont-Dore105 kg
Gold medal – first place2015 Port Moresby105 kg
Gold medal – first place2016 Suva105 kg
Gold medal – first place2019 Apia102 kg
Silver medal – second place2021102 kg
Bronze medal – third place2006 Apia85 kg
Bronze medal – third place2010 Suva94 kg
Bronze medal – third place2011 Darwin[lower-alpha 1]94 kg

Career

In 2007, Katoatau appeared at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he ranked 37th in the 85 kg with a total lift of 281 kg; as well as at the 2008 Oceania Weightlifting Championships in Auckland, New Zealand, where he ranked 4th with a total of 292 kg.[1]

Katoatau represented Kiribati in weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, where he also served as the national flag bearer at the opening ceremony.[2] He ultimately ranked 15th in the 85 kg category, with a total of 313 kg.[3][1]

In 2012, Katoatau became the first I-Kiribati sportsperson to qualify on merit for the Olympic Games, rather than through receiving a wildcard invitation, when he competed at the 94 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom.[4] He finished 17th, with a total lift of 325 kg, and again served as Kiribati's flagbearer.[5]

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, United Kingdom, Katoatau won gold in the 105 kg group A, marking the first ever Commonwealth Games medal for Kiribati.[6][7]

In 2016, Katoatau gained international press attention for dance routines he performed after completing clean and jerk lifts at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which he stated he did in order to raise awareness of global warming in Kiribati.[8][9][10]

Personal life and activism

Katoatau was born in Nonouti, Kiribati, and grew up in Nauru, where his father worked in the phosphate industry.[11][12] When he was 16, he moved to Apia, Samoa, to train at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute, due in part of the lack of appropriate training facilities in Kiribati.[12] As of 2016, Katoatau lived in Nouméa, New Caledonia, where the Institute is now based[12]

Katoatau is a climate activist, and has called for international action to prevent Kiribati from "disappearing" due to rising sea levels.[12] In 2015, Katoatau's family home in Buota was destroyed by rising tides;[8] at 2014 Commonwealth Games, Katoatau and his then-coach Paul Coffa had written an open letter raising attention to the issue of homes being lost to rising sea levels in Kiribati.[9] Katoatau believes that Kiribati lacks the resources to fight climate change and needs the support of the international community.[10]

Katoatau has cited Marcus Stephen, the first Nauruan to win gold at the Commonwealth Games, as among his inspirations.[12] His younger brother, Ruben Katoatau, is also a weightlifter.[13]

Olympics statistics
Athlete Year Event Snatch Clean & Jerk Total Rank
Result Rank Result Rank
David Katoatau200885 kg135 kg18th178 kg15th313 kg15th
201294 kg140 kg17th185 kg15th325 kg17th
2016105 kg145 kg17th204 kg12th349 kg14th

See also
Note
  1. Also the Arafura Games

References
  1. "KATOATAO David". International Weightlifting Federation. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011.
  2. "Hale to Olympics", Solomon Star, July 14, 2008
  3. "KATOATAU David". International Weightlifting Federation. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011.
  4. "The first-ever Olympic qualifier!". Kiribati National Olympic Committee. June 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  5. "List of Flagbearers Beijing 2008" (PDF). www.olympic.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  6. "Glasgow 2014 - Men's 105kg Group A". glasgow2014.com. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  7. "Katoatau the toast of Kiribati". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  8. Friedman, Uri (17 August 2016). "The saddest Olympic celebration". The Atlantic. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  9. Samuelson, Kate (16 August 2016). "This Olympic weightlifter danced off stage to raise awareness of climate change". time.com. Time. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  10. Boren, Cindy (16 August 2016). "Kiribati weightlifter is dancing to save his island from climate change". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  11. "David Katoatau biography". 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  12. Pender, Kieran (20 December 2016). "Dancing for a cause: Kiribati's climate activist Olympic weightlifter". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  13. "Kiribati". Inside the Games. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.


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