First medal for the Solomons

SOLOMON ISLANDS – Solomon Islands won its first ever Commonwealth Games medal on a historic night on the Gold Coast.

Weightlifter Jenly Wini lifted 189kg to secure bronze in the women’s 58kg division.

The 34-year-old is competing in her third Commonwealth Games and said to finally make it onto the podium means a lot.

“I’m happy. It’s history – so I’m proud to win this bronze medal. I knew it would be tough today but I just give all my best.”

Australia’s Tia-Clair Toomey won the gold medal with a total lift of 201kg, 1kg clear of Tali Darsigny from Canada.

Jenly Wini had one final chance to push up the rankings before opting to forgo her final attempt in the clean and jerk.

“My coaches pulled me out because I already get the bronze medal and it’s enough and I’m happy.”

President of the Solomon Islands National Olympic Committee, Martin Rara, said Jenly Wini’s bronze medal is a massive achievement and well deserved.

Rara expects the country’s first ever Commonwealth Games medal will benefit all sports in the country.

“Before Jenly came weightlifting was just regarded as a small minor sport but it’s now a medal-winning sport. For sports in Solomon Islands it’s for the first time that the government will start to see and refocus the attention to sport.”

Papua New Guinea has won a second silver medal in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games.

Dika Toua was unable to repeat her gold medal performance from four years ago, lifting a total of 182kg in the women’s 53kg division, to finish 10kg adrift of India’s Sanjita Chanu Khumukcham.

Morea Baru also won silver with a combined lift of 286kgs, two kilograms shy of the gold medallist Muhamad Bidin from Malaysia.

Meanwhile Fiji’s Maria Mareta is taking plenty of positives out of her first Commonwealth Games.

The 17 year old set a new personal best of 86kg in the clean and jerk en-route to a 12th place finish. “I achieved my best – this is my first time in the Commonwealth Games – I did my best.”

- RNZI