Jenly’s phenomenal win has the country rallying behind her record breaking win in the 58kg women’s weightlifting competition during the recent Pacific Games in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Jenly now sets her eyes on a ticket to Rio, Brazil for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Not many would have imagined that at the end of 2013, Jenly had seriously contemplated retirement. She had finally won weightlifting gold and set a Pacific Games record at the 2013 Mini Games in Wallis & Futuna. After all, she had represented her country with dignity and pride as an Olympian and the country had put her on a mantle; Solomon Island’s new golden girl. No doubt, she rightfully felt she was stepping away from the sports on her own terms.
But Paul Coffa believed Jenly still had some fight left in her and encouraged her to renegade on her decision. Through the Elite Athletes programme, Jenly spent the next two years training at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in New Caledonia. She was walking away from her responsibility as a mother and she missed seeing her son grow up. After all, Chokial is her pride and joy.
In January 2015, she also attained a OWF Coaching Diploma from the institute, an achievement she shared with her closest friend, Dika Toua of Papua New Guinea.
On the stage focused on her record breaking clean and jerk lift, a voice rang out amidst the silence, “Manata rigita uria!” Focus on the dream, give it your all, stay the course! It was the timely message her mother, proudly sitting among the spectators that day, provided to boost her morale.
Jenly had made the ultimate sacrifice. Promised monetary benefits, Jenly simply asked for her mother and son to be with her in Papua New Guinea. What better way to repay her daughter’s kindness then to encourage her to keep fighting in her ultimate quest for gold.
We can all gloat and claim a tiny portion of Jenly’s success but the quietly spoken athlete has a bigger message for us. “Discipline is key. No betel nut, no alcohol and no smoking.” she says. Indeed access to world class facilities is important but attitude and discipline is just as equally important.
When she competes in Rio, Jenly would have surpassed even her own wildest dreams and step away from the sport a clear winner. Congratulations Jenly.