Kiribati's sole weightlifter Katoatau relishes every moment in Nanjing

For Kiribati's weightlifter Ruben Katoatau, Nanjing and the huge Youth Olympics venues here are in stark contrast to what he is used to.

Katoatau is from Kiribati, an island nation in the central tropical Pacific Ocean which has a population of approximately 103,000.

"I've trained for years under coconut trees," said the 17-year-old, standing in the Nanjing International Expo Centre Hall, the venue for the weightlifting competition at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

His coach, Tevii Turiano, then took out his mobile phone and showed a picture of his athlete standing under a grove of coconut trees in sandals, barbell and weights resting on the sand.

"We have maybe 50 weightlifters in our country," said Turiano. "We trained under the trees."

Katoatau had no chance of making the podium in the men's 56kg division. He finished his third-ever international competition in 10th place with a combined lift of 176kg, some 107kg less than gold medallist Meng Cheng.

But when he finished his last hoist, Katoatau had accomplished his goal.

"This was a personal best for him," said Turiano. "This is a great accomplishment and will build his confidence. This is a success for us."

The Nanjing 2014 Games are as much a cultural festival as an athletic competition, and Katoatau has used his time at the Games to meet his fellow athletes, share his experiences and learn about other cultures.

"Many do not know where my country is," he added. "I show them and they now know about it. This is a great experience."