Nauru Storms The Oceania Championships 2022

The 2022 Oceania Championships saw the Pacific nation of Nauru ascendant, with the island powerhouse taking out 6 of the 8 open classes to dominate in the Men’s team scoring. Dyke Daoe was Nauru’s best with 677kg @ 77kg, yet was outpointed by Australia’s Matt Middleton’s 781kg in the 105s for Best Men’s lifter overall. Another big standout was Youth phenomena Seth Snijder of New Zealand, 147kg bwgt and 708kg Total at age 17.

In the Women’s Powerlifting the story was different, with Isabella Thomson setting a World Record 191kg Squat @ 72kg and leading the Australian team to a team win over New Zealand. Olivia Zhang was much improved with 382kg to be way ahead in the 58kg class, while at 53kg ageless Femmy Ayegun defied the clock with stunning World age 60-64 records in every lift.

The Bench Press specialists were overshadowed by the 170kg figure of the world’s strongest politician, Nauru Deputy Minister of Sport the Hon Jesse Jeremiah MP with a big 215kg in the 120+s. Rykes Daoe, brother of Dyke, was in a virtual deadheat with David Scadden on points for runner-up.

Oceania Powerlifting is now back and booming and all in the Pacific are heading for 2023’s big events, especially the Worlds in Italy and the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands.