Yukio Peter gives Nauru first gold
Tiny Nauru stood tall among the rest of the participating nations in the 2010 Commonwealth Games weightlifting competition at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex on Thursday.
Peter Yukio gave the world's smallest island-nation a reason to celebrate when he ruled the men's 77kg category. The 26-year-old set a new Games record in the snatch and total lift to comfortably win the
gold medal.
The stocky Yukio lifted 148kg in the snatch to break Satheesha Rai's record by one kilogram. He hauled 185kg in the clean and jerk for a 333kg total, breaking Damian Brown's old mark of 327kg. Yukio, however,
failed to break Brown's clean and jerk record of 188kg despite attempting twice.
Nevertheless, Yukio became a big hero for the Nauruans, following in the footsteps of legendary weightlifter Marcus Stephen, who is now the president of Nauru. Naura has a population just shy of 15,000
people.
Yukio attributed his success to his physique. "Because that's our sport, we're built for it. We're not built to run or anything else, we're built to be weightlifters," he said.
Australian coach Paul Coffa, who was credited for Nauru's success in the international scene, echoed Yukio’s sentiments.
"It's definitely not their diet, their physique is perfect, short, stocky, strong. It's all there. And it's in their blood now. It wasn't the case, but now it is, they love it," he said.
Australian Ben Turner claimed the silver medal with a total lift of 308kg while Indian Sudhir Kumar took the bronze medal with 297kg.
Kumar was happy to take home a medal after Nigeria’s Felix Cobham Ekpo crashed out of the competition after failing thrice at 185kg. The Nigerian was tied for the lead with Yukio after the snatch but he
opted to go for the gold, which ultimately cost him a medal.
"I am happy with the medal but I could not give my best today, as I was bothered by a back problem," Kumar said. It was the 31-year-old’s third straight bronze medal in the CWG.
In the day's other event, Agatha Okoli of Nigeria won the gold medal in the women's 63kg. The 18-year-old lifted 90kg in the snatch and 121kg in the clean and jerk for a 211kg total.
Veteran Michaela Breeze of Wales finished second with 202kg while Cameroon's Marie Josephe Fegue took the bronze medal with 198kg.
Breeze, the defending champion, is competing in her final Commonwealth Games and would have wanted to end her career with another gold medal.
"It's been a mountain to climb since Beijing. It has been so difficult with so many back injuries and it was been really tough work. But I know that I've given it everything and left no stone unturned
in my preparations so I have to be happy with silver," she said.
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