Commonwealth Games: Double gold medallist Reanna Solomon becomes Nauru's first COVID-related death

Reanna Solomon. Photo credit: Image - Getty Images

A Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Olympian is the first recorded COVID-related death in Nauru.

The Oceania Weightlifting Federation has announced the death of Reanna Solomon, at the age of 40.

Solomon won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 in the super-heavyweight clean & jerk and total, as well as bronze in the snatch discipline.

She competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics, placing 10th overall, after which she retired from the sport.

Solomon also won three gold medals at the 2003 Pacific Games and was many times Oceania Champion.

Former Nauru president and Nauru's greatest weightlifter Marcus Stephen says she set the standard for other Nauruan lifters to follow.

Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation general secretary Paul Coffa says Solomon will be much missed.

"Apart from being a great athlete, Reanna was a devoted mother and wife, and has sadly left behind her husband Tavita and their five children," Coffa said.

"On behalf of the Oceania and Commonwealth Weightlifting Federations, we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and our condolences, also to the Nauru Weightlifting Federation and the Nauru Olympic Committee.

"May her soul now rest in peace and may her sporting achievements be remembered always on the island of Nauru." 

Nauru now has 4066 active COVID-19 cases in Nauru, with another 105 cases in the latest counting period. There are nine people in the island's hospital Acute Care Unit.

The Government says the number of houses in lockdown is now 345, containing 3106 residents.

To curb the spread of the disease, the Government has ramped up its enforcement of COVID-19 measures, introducing on-the-spot fines for anyone walking around for non-essential reasons and not wearing a mask, and gatherings of more than three.

The Government says maximum penalties of up to $AU10,000 will be imposed for non-compliance.

RNZ

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