PNG weightlifters

PNG weightlifters currently top Commonwealth rankings

They all reached results which place them currently first in the ranking list.

Sisters Thelma and Dika Toua now rank first in the Commonwealth in the 48kg category and 53kg category respectively.

Morea Baru is also ranked first in the Commonwealth in the 62kg category.

Another weightlifter Toua Udia is currently placed fourth in the Commonwealth rankings in the 77kg category.

Oceania coach Paul Coffa indicated that even though three out of the four lifters won their categories, they have so much more to spare and are yet to put up their best performance.

Six PNG weightlifters hope to qualify for 2018 Games

To compete at next year’s Commonwealth Games in weightlifting, an athlete must now qualify as no longer can countries send a team to compete.

The six PNG lifters are currently training at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute, namely Thelma Toua, Dika Toua, Morea Baru, Toua Udia, Steven Kari and Lorraine Harry.

Oceania coach Paul Coffa confirmed that only fifteen lifters in the Oceania region, one per country, per category will be eligible to compete in the Gold Coast Games.

In the Oceania region there are only two events this year, where an athlete can qualify.

Weightlifters on the edge

In order to qualify the athletes for the Rio Olympics PNG will have to do better in the Oceania championship, which is in May in Suva, Fiji.

Sir John announced that with most of the weightlifting athletes currently training at home Sandra Ako, Guba Hale, Toua Udia, Steven Kari, Thelma Toua and Dika Toua due to family obligation, traditional obligations and personal glitches, the weightlifting team will not have the firepower to confidently say that they can make it in the qualifiers against the other Pacific’s best.