Reanna Solomon
She lifted a tiny island nation onto the world stage, becoming its first female Commonwealth Games champion with raw power and determination.
1981–2022 (age 41)·Nauruan weightlifter·Birthday: December 16·Millennials
Biography
Reanna Solomon emerged from the smallest republic on Earth, Nauru, and forged a path where almost none existed for women in sport. In a nation obsessed with weightlifting, she trained with a singular focus, her strength becoming a point of national pride. Her crowning moment came at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, where she secured gold in the 75+ kg division. That victory was more than a medal; it was a historic breakthrough, making her one of only three Nauruans ever to claim Commonwealth gold. Solomon carried the flag for her country in multiple Olympic Games, embodying resilience for a nation facing profound environmental and economic challenges. Her untimely passing in 2022 was mourned across the Pacific, but her legacy as a pioneer who defied the limits of her island's size remains unshakable.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Reanna was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Reanna Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Reanna's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 40
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2022Died at 41
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Won the gold medal in the women's 75+ kg weightlifting event at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
- Became the first female athlete from Nauru to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
- Represented Nauru at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Beijing 2008.
- One of only three Nauruan athletes in history to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Did You Know?
Nauru, her home country, is the smallest independent republic in the world by both area and population.
She initially competed in powerlifting before switching to Olympic-style weightlifting.
Her gold medal at the 2002 Games was Nauru's first medal of any color at those Games.
She was a police officer in Nauru alongside her athletic career.
“I lift for my island; every kilo is for Nauru.”
