Katoatau, David

NOC Kiribati   
GenderMen
Born17 Jul 1984
Human Interest
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach Paul Coffa [national], AUS
Further Personal Information
Residence Nouméa, NCL
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? "I tried athletics and other sports, but I only had fun with weightlifting."
General Interest
Awards and honours He was the flag bearer for Kiribati at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He was also the flag bearer at the opening ceremonies of the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. (GNS, 24 Jul 2014; olympic.org, 2012; thecgf.com, 06 Oct 2010; china.org.co, 29 Sep 2008; gc2018.com, 04 Apr 2018)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport? He began weightlifting in 2000 in Nauru.
International Debut
Year 2005
Competing for Kiribati
Further Personal Information
Occupation Athlete
Languages English
General Interest
Nicknames Dav (Facebook profile, 17 Nov 2018)
Sporting philosophy / motto "Go for gold." (Athlete, 24 Jul 2014)
Other information DANCING AMBASSADOR
He is well-known for his dance moves while leaving the stage at the end of a competition. He dances to raise the profile of Kiribati and to highlight the impact of climate change on his home country. "Most people don't know where Kiribati is. I want people to know more about us so I use weightlifting, and my dancing, to show the world. I wrote an open letter to the world last year to tell people about all the homes lost to rising sea levels. I don't know how many years it will be before it [Kiribati] sinks." In October 2018 he was named Oceania National Olympic Committees [ONOC] ambassador for climate change. (iwf.net, 08 Oct 2018; fbdio.com, 21 Jul 2016; theguardian.com, 16 Aug 2016; iwf.net, 29 Mar 2018)

OLYMPIC FIRST
He was part of the Kiribati men's weightlifting team that finished second at the 2012 Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Samoa. As the team's nominated lifter, he became the first athlete from Kiribati to qualify for an Olympic Games on merit. He went on to finish 17th out of 21 competitors in the 94kg event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (foxsportspulse.com, 28 Jul 2012; olympic.org, 2012)

NATIONAL FIRST
He became the first athlete from Kiribati to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games, following his gold in the 105kg event at the 2014 Games in Glasgow, Scotland. (bbc.com, 30 Jul 2014; SportsDeskOnline, 20 Nov 2018)
Memorable sporting achievement Winning Kiribati's first Commonwealth medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. (Athlete, 07 Aug 2016)
Most influential person in career His parents and coach. (Athlete, 07 Aug 2016)
Sport Specific Information
Training Regime He trains at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in Mont-Dore, New Caledonia.

Major Results
Year Rank Event Venue
Olympic Games
2016 14 105kg   Rio de Janeiro
2012 9 94kg   London
2008 12 85kg   Beijing
World Championships
2015 26 105kg   Houston, TX
2015 32 105kg - Snatch   Houston, TX
2015 17 105kg - Clean & Jerk   Houston, TX
2011 28 94kg   Paris
2011 33 94kg - Snatch   Paris
2011 23 94kg - Clean & Jerk   Paris
2007 37 85kg   Chiang Mai
2007 41 85kg - Snatch   Chiang Mai
2007 37 85kg - Clean & Jerk   Chiang Mai
Oceania Championships
2019 1 102kg   Apia
2019 2 102kg - Snatch   Apia
2019 1 102kg - Clean & Jerk   Apia
2016 1 105kg   Suva
2016 1 105kg - Snatch   Suva
2016 1 105kg - Clean & Jerk   Suva
2015 1 105kg   Port Moresby
2015 1 105kg - Snatch   Port Moresby
2015 1 105kg - Clean & Jerk   Port Moresby
2014 1 105kg   Le Mont-Dore
2014 3 105kg - Snatch   Le Mont-Dore
2014 1 105kg - Clean & Jerk   Le Mont-Dore
2013 1 105kg   Brisbane, QLD
2012 1 94kg   Apia
2012 1 94kg - Snatch   Apia
2012 1 94kg - Clean & Jerk   Apia
2011 3 94kg   Darwin, NT
2011 3 94kg - Snatch   Darwin, NT
2011 3 94kg - Clean & Jerk   Darwin, NT
2010 3 94kg   Yaren
2010 3 94kg - Snatch   Yaren
2010 2 94kg - Clean & Jerk   Yaren
2009 1 94kg   Darwin, NT
2009 1 94kg - Snatch   Darwin, NT
2009 1 94kg - Clean & Jerk   Darwin, NT
2008 4 85kg   Auckland
2008 6 85kg - Snatch   Auckland
2008 4 85kg - Clean & Jerk   Auckland
2007 1 94kg   Apia
2007 2 94kg   Apia
2006 3 85kg   Apia
2006 4 85kg - Snatch   Apia
2006 2 85kg - Clean & Jerk   Apia
2004 4 77kg   Suva
2004 5 77kg - Snatch   Suva
2004 4 77kg - Clean & Jerk   Suva
Commonwealth Games
2018 5 105kg   Gold Coast, QLD
2014 1 105kg   Glasgow
2010 4 94kg   Delhi
2006 6 77kg   Melbourne, VIC