This Kiribati weightlifter raised awareness for his country with his fancy footwork
David Katoatau says getting his groove on is to bring attention to the climate change problems of his Pacific nation
Weightlifter David Katoatau has been getting his groove on after each of his lifts at the Rio Olympics to raise awareness for his home country Kiribati.
The sports star finished sixth in the Olympic men's +105kg Group B final, but it was his fancy footwork that drew cheers from the crowd.
Katoatau has found fame for his moves before, showing off his dancing skills after his victory in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland two years ago.
He's using the attention to raise awareness of the threat climate change poses to his remote Pacific nation.
“Most people don’t know where Kiribati is,” Katoatau told Reuters. “I want people to know more about us so I use weightlifting, and my dancing, to show the world.
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“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 sinks.”
