Federation selects six lifters

Sports

By HENRY MORABANG
THE PNG Weightlifting Federation has nominated six lifters for the upcoming 2017 Commonwealth and Oceania Championships in Gold Coast, Australia.
The championships from Sept 3-9 is also a test event for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
The 2017 Commonwealth and Oceania Championships for seniors, juniors and youth, attracted 400 lifters and 150 officials from 37 countries.
Federation president Sir John Dawanincura confirmed that PNG has nominated six lifters — Thelma Toua, Dika Toua, Lorraine Harry, Morea Baru, Toua Udia and Steven Kari — who are attending the Oceania Weightlifting Training Institute (OWTI) in Noumea, New Caledonia.
He said these weightlifters would also be competing in the Commonwealth Games next year subject to results at the Gold Coast qualification event.
Sir John said the event was organised concurrently and two results would be recorded for Oceania and the Commonwealth titles.
Meanwhile, the PNG lifters residing at the OWTI have produced some exciting results in the last weekend Pacific International Cup held at the institute.
Toua sisters, Thelma and Dika, Steven Kari and Morea Baru all won gold medal in the respective lifts.
Thelma Toua won gold when she snatched 71kg and made a good clean and jerk with 87kg to post a total of 158kg ahead of Australian Emily Claire Scott who settled with silver with 55kg snatch, clean and jerk with 75kg for a total of 130kg while Fijian Seruwaia Malani settled for bronze with 127kg.
Veteran Dika proved that she has a lot of stamina yet when she won gold with a total lift of 183kg.
She snatched 78kg and did a good clean and jerk with 105kg to earn top spot.
The Hanuabada powerhouse finished ahead of Mary Kini Lifue of Solomon Islands who posted 74kg in snatch while 96kg in clean and jerk to bring total to 170kg and the bronze went to Mary Blesser of Australia who lifted a total of 133kg.
In the 90kg-plus division, Lorraine Harry finished behind new found Oceania champions Eileen Cikamatana. Harry lifted 85 in snatch, 110kg in clean and jerk and a 195kg total while Cikamatana won with a 250kg total.
In the men’s lift, Morea Baru maintained his top form to finish number one in the 62kg division with 125kg in snatch and 160kg in clean and jerk for a total of 285kg.
Coming from the silver medal performance in French National Championships, Steven Kari powered home to win gold in 94kg when he snatched 151kg, 195 clean and jerk for a total of 346kg.
Toua Udia finished second in 77kg division behind Teretiita Tabaroua of Kiribati. Udia snatched 129kg and 165kg clean and jerk for a total of 294kg.
Tabaroua lifted a total of 300kg from 129 snatch, 171 clean and jerk to win gold.