Penang gold for Luisa

Cook Islands weightlifters Luisa Peters and Sam Pera Jnr will return home this weekend with 4 medals – 3 gold and 1 silver from the recent weightlifting meet in Penang, Malaysia.

The duo competed at the International Weightlifting Federation’s Intercontinental Club Grand Prix and Commonwealth Senior and Junior Championships.

Peters, the island’s only female lifter, is ecstatic at her recent achievement which saw her set a new personal best lift of 156kg.

The 17-year-old competed in the women’s 75kg division where she snatched 66kg and jerked a whopping 90kg for a total lift of 156kg.

Peters says that she feels good about her performance although she is a little disappointed that she didn’t do as well as she could have in the snatch division.

At the October Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Peters set a new personal best lift of 155kg from a 70kg snatch lift and cleaned 85kg.

“It feels good despite not beating my PB in the snatch so I knew I had to come out and do my best in the clean and jerk – so I did!” says Peters.

For her efforts – Peters received a gold in the women’s Commonwealth youth division, a gold in the junior division and a third gold medal in the International Weightlifting senior division.

At this same event in 2009 – Peters won a bronze medal and winning three gold medals is testament to the hard work she has done in the sport.

For Sam Pera Jnr, the Penang tournament is the start of his comeback to the sport of weightlifting.

Pera last lifted at the Pacific Mini Games here in Rarotonga in 2009 after an extended absence from the sport due to financial difficulties.

At the mini games – Pera won three silver medals for a snatch lift of 172kg, clean and jerk lift of 140kg for a total lift of 312kg.

In Penang – Pera added an extra 28kg to his mini games performance in the 105kg+ category with a snatch lift of 150kg and clean and a 190kg clean and jerk lift for a total lift of 340kg.

Pera was inspired to get back into weightlifting training by younger brother and lifter Sirla Pera and Peters who competed at the Delhi games.

The pair will no doubt be hosted to joyous celebrations this weekend by their proud families and supporters.