The Late Frank Robby

Jun 12 2018

Dear Friends,

 

It is with great sorrow, that I must advise you, of the passing of our very dear friend and colleague, Frank Robby from Papua New Guinea.

 

Frank Robby passed away last night, on Monday, 11th June, after ill health for the past 12 months.   

 

Frank was the heart of PNG Weightlifting for many decades. He was a strong pillar in the Oceania Weightlifting Federation. His passion for weightlifting was unmatched. He was a very good weightlifter in his younger days.  Frank was also involved with power lifting, strength coaching for rugby and eventually Frank became Vice President of the Oceania Weightlifting Federation, as position which he held with great pride until now.  

 

Frank was also an International Category One technical official. He represented PNG as a technical official at Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Pacific Games, Oceania Championships and other international events in the region. 

 

We will remember Frank as a very lively individual. Full of fun. Enjoying his glass of beer and a great story teller. But most of all we will  miss his strong friendship, his generosity and his very humble attitude.  

 

The first time I met Frank was in the mid 1980’s when PNG organised a training camp at the Hawthorn Weightlifting Centre in Melbourne. We struck up an immediate bond  which has lasted over 30 years. Later on he promised me that he would be my bodyguard at any events where we were together.  And from then on I nicknamed him Tyson.  He had the same physique and the same look as Tyson. Very hard exterior,  tremendous physique but he had a heart of gold. 

 

‘Tyson’ my friend I will greatly miss you. And I am sure that the weightlifting fraternity will miss you just as much as I will.  

 

The sport of weightlifting has truly lost, not only a dear friend, but a true weightlifter. 

 

Our thoughts are with his family, the PNG Weightlifting Federation, and  the PNG Olympic Committee. May his soul rest in peace.  

 

Paul Coffa MBE

General Secretary

Oceania Weightlifting Federation

Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation