It was silver success on the weightlifting stage for 22-year-old Cook Islands weightlifter Sam Pera Jnr.

Pera won three silver medals in the Pacific Games 105kg+ division. Only three lifters competed after two pulled out on the day of the competition.

In his division was current Oceania champion Ette Detemano of Nauru and an up-and-coming Niuean lifter.

Pera lifted 150kg in his first snatch followed by a successful 160kg lift to set a new personal best his old personal best snatch lift was 150kg.

Pera was to lift 163kg. He changed his mind and attempted to lift 168kg, however couldnt quite get the lift over his hips and settled for a best snatch lift of 160kg.

Eventual gold medal winner Ette Detemano only had one successful lift 172kg in his first attempt before dropping during attempts to lift 190kg.

In the clean and jerk division Pera successfully lifted 180kg before dropping his first 190kg attempt.

But with a vocal band of supporters Pera returned to the stage to clean and jerk his final lift of 190kg for a total lift of 350kg.

His efforts earned him silver in the snatch, silver in the clean and jerk and a final silver for his overall total lift.

Detemano once again only lifted once in the clean and jerk a lift of 208kg.

The Nauru lifter then opted not to complete his next two lifts with the three gold medals already in the bag.

In his early teens Pera was touted to become one of the Pacific and Oceanias best lifters with exceptional skill and power and he even attended weightlifting academies in Samoa and New Caledonia under weightlifting guru Paul Coffer.

Pera then shocked the Pacific weightlifting community when he quit the sport to return home in late 2008 to help his family and try and lead a normal life.

However, he returned to training to compete in the Pacific Mini Games in Rarotonga where he also won three silver medals from a total lift of 312kg from a 172kg snatch and 140kg clean and jerk.

Pera admits that he didnt put in a hell of a lot of training for the competition but says his return to the sport was inspired by younger brother and fellow Team Cook Islands lifter Sirla Pera and sole female lifter Luisa Peters.

To me, it wasnt a bad result for me especially lifting against guys that are fulltime lifters and get paid for it.

Not only did Pera have to concentrate on his competition but he also played the leadership role in the lifting trio team with his father and coach Sam Pera Snr still in Rarotonga for work commitments.

I guess Im used to it because its what my dad did for me and Im just doing what he did for us to Luisa and Sirla.

Peras return to the lifting stage is causing a stir of excitement in the weightlifting community an excitement not felt since Pera was a rising teenage lifting star.

For his return to lifting Pera would like to thank his brother Sirla and sole female lifter Luisa Pera for inspiring and motivating him to lift again.

He would also like to thank his partner, family, sponsors, staff at DHL, weightlifting vice president Unakea Kauvai and the boys at the swamp.