The gift David Liti is passing on to the next generation

He doesn't start with Commonwealth Games gold or Olympic appearances either. 

Instead, he starts with a coach named Tina. 

"I never really trained," Liti laughs, reflecting on his early days in Weightlifting. "I just kind of showed up and competed." 

That changed in 2015. 

Weightlifting was one of several options available to him, but it was Tina who saw something more. While Liti struggled to picture a future in sport, she believed he was capable of much more than he imagined. 

Coming from Tonga, Liti's future had always seemed straightforward. 

It made sense. His family came from farming stock. His father was from a farming family, while his mother came from an educational background. Growing up, those were the examples around him, and the path ahead appeared clear. 

Sport wasn't part of the plan. 

So, when he moved to New Zealand and started taking Weightlifting seriously, he never imagined where it might lead. 

"Being able to go to the Commonwealth Games, win it and make the Olympics, that was never a dream of mine," he says. "Tina made that a reality." 

The belief paid off. 

Liti went on to become one of New Zealand's most successful weightlifters, winning Commonwealth Games gold at Gold Coast 2018 before adding a silver medal four years later at Birmingham 2022. He has represented New Zealand at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and is one of Aotearoa's most recognisable strength athletes. 

Yet for Liti, success has never really been measured by medals. 

Today, standing inside his own Weightlifting gym in the heart of Otara, he is focused on something much bigger. 

The space isn't simply a gym. 

It's a place designed to remove barriers for young people who may not otherwise have the opportunities or support they need to pursue sport. His vision is to create a safe environment where young people can train, learn and belong, regardless of their circumstances. 

Liti remembers turning up to training with no lunch. He remembers not being able to afford gym membership fees. He remembers the countless small acts of generosity that helped him stay on track when chasing a dream seemed almost impossible. 

"I've had no lunch all day and Tina would come with food to the gym," he recalls. 

Now, with two Olympic Games and multiple Commonwealth Games medals to his name, Liti wants to be that person for someone else. 

"My mum used to always remind us to always be kind." 

Helping others was something he watched throughout his childhood. Whether through coaching, mentoring or simply opening the doors of his gym, Liti sees his work as a continuation of those lessons. 

"The whole drive for being able to help people comes down to upbringing." 

"It's always been a thing that my mum's done, to help people." 

Despite competing on some of the world's biggest sporting stages, Liti has remained deeply connected to South Auckland and the community that helped shape him. Creating opportunities for others is his way of giving back. 

For an athlete who has spent years lifting weights, the values he carries seem simple. 

Be kind. 

Help others. 

Give back. 

Now, his message to others is straightforward. 

"Give it a crack and you never know what you're capable of." 

It's the same mindset that carried him from a young man who was destined to be a farmer, to now a Commonwealth Games champion and two-time Olympian.