Meamea Thomas (11 September 1987 in TarawaKiribati athletes at the 2004 Olympics , Kiribati National Olympic Committee – c. 23 June 2013)"In Memoriam: MEAMEA THOMAS 1987-2013" , Oceania Sport Information Centre, 24 June 2013 was an I-Kiribati weightlifter.
Thomas represented Kiribati in the men's 85 kg event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He was, at that time, ranked 63rd in the world."Kiribati's Olympic adventure", Andrew Fraser, BBC, August 3, 2004 He finished 13th, having lifted 292.5 kg."Day 8 Weightlifting Schedule & Results", Sydney Morning Herald He was also his country's flagbearer during the Opening Ceremony."Kiribati in first Olympic Games Opening Ceremony" , Kiribati National Olympic Committee, August 14, 2004 He had previously won gold in the same event at the 2003 South Pacific Games in Suva. He did not take part in the 2008 Olympics."Kiribati sends three athletes to Beijing Olympics" , Xinhua, 5 August 2008
In all, he won two gold medals at the 2003 South Pacific Games, and three at the 2009 Pacific Mini Games."Meamea Thomas - Kiribati", 2010 Oceania Weightlifting Championships He won silver at the 2011 Pacific Games, and was twice Oceania Champion: in 2004 and 2010.
On or around 23 June 2013, he was killed in a crash in his home country, at the age of 25. He saw a bicycle rider about to be hit by a speeding car, and pushed the rider to safety. He was hit instead, and died instantly. The driver of the car was drunk. Paul Coffa, General Secretary of the Oceania Weightlifting Federation, paid tribute to his heroism in sacrificing himself to save a life.
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