Islands Business - Sport: WEIGHLIFTERS LIFTING GAMES HOPES ALIVE

20-year old Niuean lifter to shine.

Samisoni Pareti

Dika Toua... a medal hopeful.

It is certainly a big ask on a 20-year old, yet this is the kind of thing Sioe Haioti has been preparing herself for.

Currently ranked the number one woman weighlifter in the 75-kg plus category in Oceania, Haioti is on the hunt for a medal in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne on March 15-26.

If she steps on the medal podium and there's no reason to suggest that she won't, Haioti will become the first Niuean to scoop a medal in the history of the games.

This won't be a minor feat given that Niue's total population is a mere 1500 and dropping. Even the total number of athletes and officials expected in Melbourne of 6000 exceeds Niue's population by 1 to 4.

The person who ought to know better is Haioti's coach, Paul Coffa.

With age on her side, Coffa says he will be surprised if Haioti doesn't return from Melbourne with a bronze or even silver.

“It is a fiercely contested category, but she stands a good chance,” says Coffa.

“This division will certainly be the best division in the women's categories with regard to the closeness of the competition.”

Most of Haioti's competitors come from island neighbours, all of whom are training with her at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in Samoa.

These include Nauru's Sheeva Peo Cook and New Zealand's Keisha Dean Soffe who are ranked third and fourth respectively. Also with them at the Apia institute are Fiji's Ivy Shaw (6th ranking) and Tonga's Kefilini Tualau (7th ranking).

Said Coffa: “Sheeva (of Nauru) has just as much chance as Sioe. They are both lifting the same.

“So is Ivy Shaw and the sensational young weightlifter from Tonga with a bodyweight of 140kg, Kefilini Tualau.

“She could surprise all her training partners. So you can see that this class, with the exception of India and Canada, the Pacific girls at the institute are right up there.

“It is interesting to note that Keisha who has been selected to represent New Zealand in the 75-plus kg category has been training for quite a while now with these other four athletes.

“Keisha is also looking for a medal and is amongst the top contenders. This category is going to be exciting and sensational.

“Apparently all tickets have been sold for this class.”

On the eve of her history-making trip to Melbourne, Haioti was quietly confident about her chances.

“It's going to be a really tough competition,” she told this magazine via electronic mail from Apia.

“I believe I have a great chance of winning a medal and I am completely focused on the task ahead of me.”

The focus is shown on the daily training regime Haioti and her colleagues are putting in under the watchful eye of Coffa.

The group does 14 training seasons six days a week; three sessions on Monday and Wednesday and two sessions each for the rest of the days, with each session averaging five to six hours. Coffa estimates that on an average training day, each athlete at the institute lifts 15 tonnes!

For medal hopeful Haioti, the intense training programme is constantly reminding her of her biggest hurdle in Melbourne.

“The Indian champion is a great lifter. She is ranked number one in the Commonwealth, followed by a Canadian lifter, and I'm ranked third.

“But there are also many other girls who are good as well. This division is certainly going to be tough.

“Only one mistake by any of the girls and she will be out of medal contention.

“I'm ready to give it my best shot.”

The Niuean lifter, according to Coffa, is one of several that should do well in Melbourne.

He has no doubt that wonder boy Yukio Peter will be a gold medallist. He is competing in the 77kg division.

“When everyone finishes in his category, he will start,” says Coffa, who is also secretary of the Oceania Weightlifting Federation.

“For Dika Toua from Papua New Guinea and ranking number one in the 53kg (women) category--anything below gold, I would be very disappointed.”

Tiny Nauru will surely get another medal from another upcoming superlifter, Itte Detenamo. Still in his teens, Detenamo is competing in the 105-plus kg category. “Unfortunately, he is just too young at the moment to become the strongest man in the Commonwealth,” explains Coffa.

“Chris Rae from Australia is a mature lifter and will win gold.”

Invited to name medal prospects in weightlifting amongst Pacific athletes, Coffa offered:

Sheeva Peo Cook, Women's 75-plus kg, Niue, and
Sheba Deireragea, Women's 75kg category, Nauru

Interestingly, Deireragea is no stranger to the Commonwealth Games. She took part in the Manchester Games as a mere 15-year old and scooped bronze medals in the 69kg clean & jerk, combined and snatch.

Apart from weightlifting, the only other chance of winning medals in Melbourne lie in sevens rugby. Fiji is currently the world champion in the game.