Morea Baru

The 26 year-old fell short by 15kg to finish in the top 3 as he clinched the sixth spot in the world in Men’s 62kg division with a total of 290kg from 126kg snatch and 164kg clean and jerk.

Colombian Oscar Albeiro Figueroa Mosquera finished on top claiming gold with a total of 318kg (142kg snatch and 176kg clean and jerk), Eko Yuli Irawan of Indonesia takes the silver with a total of 312kg (687.8 lbs) and Farkhad Kharki of Kazakstan earns the bronze with a total of 305kg (672.4 lbs).

Lifting in the men’s 62kg division, the lad from Hanuabada will take the stage to lift at 5pm (6am PNG time, Wednesday).

Baru is in Group A.

Baru, who is ranked 10^th in the world in the men’s 62kg division, will be the third athlete from Team PNG to compete at Rio.

This is Baru’s first appearance at an Olympics event.

The first two athletes to compete were judo’s Raymond Ovinou and Thadius Katua from boxing.

The other 5 athletes from Team PNG will compete later during the week.

The two secured invitations through the International Olympic Committee’s qualification systems.

This allows the best athletes in each sport to participate in the Games primarily through the continental qualification of athletes and teams.

Katua (60kg) is PNG's first Commonwealth Youth Games gold medallist and will look to build on his Pacific Games and Commonwealth Youth Games gold medals from 2015.

Baru (62kg) on the other hand is currently PNG's top male lifter and won gold at the recent Oceania Championships. He also won best lifter of the championship title.

Baru was part of the team of 12 lifters (10 men and 2 women) from the Oceania Weightlifting in New Caledonia that took part in the tournament.

The tournament ran from the March 18-20 at the Cougars Centre, Chandler Complex.

Lifting in the 62kg category, Baru finished on top lifting a total of 291kg (Snatch 126kg and Clean & Jerk 165kg).

Baru is ranked 10^th in the world in the 62kg category.

The tournament was used as a stepping stone in preparation for the Oceania Championships and the Olympic Qualification Event for the Rio Olympic Games

This will be determined at the 2016 Oceania Championships at Fiji in May which is the Olympic qualifier for Rio Games.

Oceania Weightlifting Federation general secretary and regional coach Paul Coffa said no one so far from PNG has qualified on their own merit for the Olympics.  

Coffa said although he is very confident that Morea Baru will do so prior to the Oceania Championships and Olympic Qualification event in Suva, Fiji.

Baru won a gold medal in the 62 kg category at the recent 2015 Pacific Games lifting 121kg snatch.