Pera to debut

Cook Islands weightlifter Sirla Pera will make his debut at the Delhi Commonwealth Games this evening.

The 18-year-old will continue a family legacy of competing at the Commonwealth Games, taking after his father and coach Sam Pera Snr and older brother Sam Pera Jnr.

Pera will be lifting in the 94kg open men’s division and aims to set a personal best lift – a medal would be the icing on the cake.

Pera’s personal best total lift is 236kg from a 130kg clean and jerk and 106kg snatch.

He hopes to set a personal best lift of around 140kg.

His lifting partner, and sole Cook Islands woman lifter Luisa Peters, will make her debut tomorrow night in the open 75kg+ division with a current personal best lift of 132kg from a 74kg clean and jerk and a 58kg snatch.

Her aim is to hit the 144kg mark or better.

Meanwhile the national netball team will face off against Pacific sisters from Papua New Guinea while the mama and papa bowlers continue their competition with men’s singles player Pita Toto to take to the green for the first time today.

Fellow singles bowler in the women’s division Irene Tupuna will get her competition underway tomorrow.

The bowlers have been having a mixed bag on the green although the recent win by the men’s doubles team of Tupou Mahia and Takai Kairua over top of their division South Africa has put a spring back in the walk of the entire bowls team.

The women’s pairs team of Nane Tere and Mou Tokorangi are also getting better each day along with the men’s and women’s triples teams.

After the pool play wraps up in the next day or two for the men’s and women’s pairs and triples – the team will get a better idea of their current position in their respective divisions at the Commonwealth Games.

Bowlers will continue to roll up right up to the final day of the Delhi games.