Baru bags 3 more gold for PNG

PAPUA New Guinea’s Morea Baru made headlines on day three of the Pacific Games in the men’s weightlifting 61kg division setting new Oceania and Commonwealth records.
Australia’s women also enjoyed a golden day claiming top honours in the 59kg and 64kg categories through Erika Yamasaki and Kiana Elliott.
Baru claimed all three gold medals and lifted a new Oceania and Commonwealth record of 284kg across the snatch and the clean and jerk.
Cester Ramohaka of the Solomon Islands got silver, and Samoa’s John Tafi collected the bronze.
The competition also doubled as the Commonwealth junior championships.
In those standings, India’s Vaniatiuanga Jacob won gold, Tafi claimed silver, and Kiribati’s Tatake Ieete got bronze.
Weightlifting continues from 9am today at the Faleata Sports Complex.
The day’s first event was the women’s 59kg where Yamasaki, Australia’s flag bearer, claimed her country’s first gold medals of the Games.
She topped the podium in the snatch, clean and jerk and overall.
Jenly Wini of the Solomon Islands collected all three silvers, while Australia’s Seen Lee won the trio of bronze.