Sport: Pacific weightlifters have final hit-out before Games

Transcript

The region's top weightlifters are in New Caledonia this week for the Oceania Championships, in the final major hitout before the Commonwealth Games.

Five Pacific lifters won gold medals at the Commonwealth Champs in November and the General Secretary of the Oceania Weightlifting Association, Paul Coffa, told Vinnie Wylie there's hopes for an even better haul in Glasgow.

PAUL COFFA: I'm convinced that the Pacific will pull about six gold medals. On top of that you've got Australia and New Zealand there so the Oceania region looks very very good for Glasgow but it won't be easy. Talking about Ele Opeloge: she's got the Nigerian super-heavy 75 kilo plus and she's done much more than Ele so it's not going to be easy for Ele to win gold. On the other hand we've got Mary Opeloge from Samoa who has a a great chance of pulling the 75 kilo category - the two sisters. From Papua New Guinea you've got two or three lifters ranking number one in the Commonwealth. One is Steven Kari, 21 year old, the other one is Dika Toua. She won a silver in 2006, she didn't compete in 2010 - she was married having children - and she's making a comeback. She's ranking number one in the 53 [kilogram class].

We have also the 62 kilo class for men that's really something. That's possibly the highlight of the Commonwealth Games in weightlifting to have Lapua Lapua from Tuvalu is ranking number one, so is Nevo Ioane from Samoa equal on that and we have the young Morea Baru from Papua New Guinea, so we've got medals in there for the Pacific to grab.  David Katoatau in the 105 kilos and Tovia Opeloge from Samoa so we've got another chance for gold in there so we are really looking well for the Commonwealth, no question on that. In fact, I think Australia will struggle to win a gold at these Games for the first time since 1950.

VINNIE WYLIE: Where do you still see room for improvement in these lifters? What are you looking for in these Championships in Noumea?

PC: With two months to go there's not very much improvement you can do in weightlifting. All you need to do is keep your fitness and your strength. I must say, I've been to eight Commonwealth Games and I would say that this would possibly be the best for our region. The preparation has been phenomenal and I think the lifters at the institute would certainly show up at this Games and if you include their couple of Samoans top lifters and one or two Australians and New Zealanders you will find that this region will be the most successful. We will pull more medals than any other sport.