(L - R) Femily Notte, Nehemiah Elder, Seine Stowers, Olivia Selemaia

The Pacific region’s rise in world weightlifting continues to gather pace, with lifters from across Oceania pocketing 12 medals so far at the World Youth & Junior Championships in Lima.

Once dominated by just a handful of stars such as Nauru’s Marcus Stephen and Samoa’s Jerry Wallwork 30 years ago, the region now boasts a new generation of athletes making their mark on the international stage.

Much of the credit has gone to top Pacific coaches, including Quincy Detenamo (Nauru), Henry Elder (Fiji), Simon Kent (New Zealand), and Jerry Wallwork (Samoa), whose athletes have delivered standout performances in Lima.

Among them are rising stars Femily Notte of Nauru, Fiji’s Nehemiah Elder, Seine Stowers of Samoa, and Olivia Selemaia from New Zealand, all of whom are expected to feature at next year’s World Championships.

The surge in Pacific success has been underpinned by a unified coaching approach, with lifters following a strict and regimented program that has become a cornerstone of the Oceania Weightlifting Federation’s (OWF) strategy.

Coaches across the region, including Papua New Guinea’s Dika Toua, have embraced this system, which is now translating into international results.

OWF Elite Training Camps have also played a key role, providing vital preparation despite the financial and logistical challenges they present.

New Zealand coach Simon Kent praised the most recent camp in Hawthorn as ideal preparation for his team’s Lima campaign.

The OWF has reaffirmed its commitment to these camps as it looks ahead to the next Commonwealth Games and beyond, ensuring Pacific lifters remain competitive on the world stage.

Once fragmented, the Pacific weightlifting community has shown that unity and collaboration are delivering real results, with the region now firmly established as a force to be reckoned with in global weightlifting.

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