Teen weightlifting star wins Samoa’s first Games gold

Samoa's Seine Stowers has claimed the nation's first gold medal at the Glasgow Games, shattering multiple Commonwealth records in the women's 77kg weightlifting event. The 18-year-old sensation lifted a combined total of 237kg, including a record 106kg in the snatch and 130kg in the clean-and-jerk, to secure the title.

Stowers' triumphant performance adds another chapter to her family's weightlifting legacy at the Games. Her older sister, Feagaiga Stowers, previously won gold at the 2018 Gold Coast Games and silver in 2022. "I know she’s proud of me," Seine Stowers said, reflecting on her sister's wish for her to win a medal at her first Commonwealth Games. "My mom is here too, and she was crying, because I’m too young, but I won the medal."

She was the dominant force in the women's final at the Armadillo venue. England's Isabella Brown secured silver with a total lift of 229kg, setting a Games record in the clean-and-jerk with 132kg. Bronze went to Wales' Laura Hughes, who lifted 224kg.

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I know she’s proud of me. At her first Commonwealth, she won the medal and she told me this is my first Commonwealth Games. Her wish was for me to win the medal, and now I’ve won the medal, so she’s going to be very excited. My mom is here too, and she was crying, because I’m too young, but I won the medal.

Stowers expressed confidence in her victory, having previously won three titles at the Australian championships. "I believed in myself, I trusted in myself, because my whole family, and my country, and the Samoan team, they are supporting me," she stated. "The people, they were all looking at me like they were waiting for me to win the medal."

In the men's 71kg category, Samoa's John Tafi claimed silver with a total lift of 314kg, finishing behind Nigeria's Edidiong Umoafia. Nauru also celebrated a medal, with 17-year-old Femily-Crystie Notte winning bronze in the women's 63kg event.

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I knew I was going to win the medal. I believed in myself, I trusted in myself, because my whole family, and my country, and the Samoan team, they are supporting me. The people, they were all looking at me like they were waiting for me to win the medal.