The Power Was On in Nauru
Storms and power outages couldn’t stop the Oceania Championships in Nauru taking off and producing multiple World & Oceania Records. One of those wasn’t Kryzstof Wierzbicki in the freestyle Deadlift, an adductor injury limiting the special guest from Poland to “only” 460kg. That was smooth and locked out and 502kg and more will surely come soon.
In the Women’s lifting way out in front was Yani Zhao with stunning World Records in the 100kg Squat & Total, 221kg and 565kg and more than 600 points. 17 year old Nei Neneiya coasted through the Youth records in her first contest and is a lifter with a future.
In the Men’s the 94kg class was riddled with talent. Bob Adams set a WR in the Squat but wound up 5th. Then came Jesse Roland with World Masters Records in 4th. 3rd was out of his class 85kger Deamo Baguga who’s 86.6kg bodyweight let him score overall Best Lifter in the Men’s. Matt Middleton of Australia snuck into 94s 2nd with 750kg but it was Dave Mwaredaga who came from nowhere for the win with 765kg. Other big winners were World Champions Dyke Daoe 77kg and Joash Teabuge 120kg, while AI Temaki again overcame depth problems to squat an easy 390kg, on his way to 400kg+ at the Asia Pacifics.
The Bench Press was also concentrated in the 94s. There Angin Gadabu outdid the fortuitously named Ed Coan Demaunga, 185kg to 180kg to wrap up the event of the year in Powerlifting fixated Nauru. Minister for Sport and 220kg BPer The Hon Jesse Jeremiah was in attendance and it was his Department’s support that made the Championships happen.
