Host tops weightlifting tally

 PAPUA New Guinea topped the Pacific Games weightlifting tally with seven gold, two silver and two bronze medals after five days of competition which ended yesterday.

The competition turned over some surprises particularly for the host nation with Dika Toua and Steven Kari not as dominant as expected.

To make it more lively, the crowd enjoyed seeing the rivalry between 31-year-old Toua and 28-year-old Australian Erika Yamasaki in the women’s 53kg division. In the men’s 94kg division, it was a more intense battle was between two of the Pacific’s best in home town hero Kari and Samoan Siaosi Leuio.

The most memorable highlight of the competition was when blind 26-year-old Australian Malek Chamoun won gold in the snatch and a silver in the clean-and-jerk. 

One endearing thing about Chamoun that touched the crowd was that whenever he went on stage to lift, he was escorted by his father and coach.

For the first time in Games history, two weightlifting competitions were held concurrently with the Pacific Games competition combining with the Oceania Championships.

PNG Weightlifting vice-president Frank Robby said the set-up of the facilities for judging and the timing system was all done using Olympic and Commonwealth models.

He said the set-up impressed many of the participating countries. “We are going one step higher and we have to set high standards,” Robby said.