Pacific lifters search for gold

PAPUA New Guinea’s Dika Toua, Morea Baru and Steven Kari are among 42 Pacific Mini Games gold medallists who are attending a special training camp at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in New Caledonia.
The training is in preparation for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games from April 4-16 on the Gold Coast, Australia.
The 20 institute lifters and top lifters of Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand will be training together for 10 days in preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
Apart from Paul Coffa who coaches the 20 resident lifters of the Institute from different island nations, three of the leading coaches of the region, Jerry Wallwork from Samoa, Joe Vueti from Fiji and Tina Ball from New Zealand are coaching their own athletes who have qualified for the Games. Of the lifters taking part in this elite training, quite a number of them were ranked first and second in the Commonwealth. Some of them will be trying to win back-to-back gold on the Gold Coast.
The +105kg category will be the battle of the giants. Currently ranking number one is LauititiLui from Samoa. Just behind him is David Liti from New Zealand. Both of them part of this elite training camp in New Caledonia including the silver medallist at the last two Commonwealth Games and Itte Detenamo from Nauru.
Apart from these, there were many other lifters at the elite training camp ranked third and fourth in the Commonwealth.
This elite training camp is financially supported by the International Weightlifting Federation.
The lifters: women – Dika Toua (53kg) from PNG, Jenly Wini (58kg) from the Solomon Islands who is ranking number one in the Commonwealth, Apolonia Vaivai (69kg), Eileen Cikamantana (90kg), both from Fiji, Tracey Lambrechs (90kg) from New Zealand, Feagaiga Stowers (+90kg) from Samoa, Men – Morea Baru (62kg) from PNG, Nevo Ioane (69kg) from Samoa, Don Opeloge (85kg) from Samoa, Steven Kari (94kg) from PNG, David Katoatau (105) from Kiribati.