A former Fiji gold medallist has won her third weightlifting title at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Eileen Cikamatana won gold for Fiji in the 90kg division at the 2018 Games before switching her allegiance to Australia.
Cikamatana won gold for Australia in Birmingham four years ago, with a Games record 255kg total lift in the 87kg category.
On Thursday morning, she won her third Commonwealth gold – her second in Australian colours – with a Games record total lift of 248kg in the 86kg category.
England’s Madias Ngake also breached the previous Games record, finishing second with a total lift of 239kg, while Canada’s Rose Beaudoin took bronze, with a total lift of 230kg.
Samoa’s Sefulu Seuao, 17, finished sixth with a total lift of 219kg.
Cikamatana’s Olympic debut ended in heartbreak in Paris in 2021, narrowly finishing fourth and just missing out on a medal.
But she said it was “mission accomplished” in Glasgow, the ABC reported.
“I came for one thing, and I got that one thing,” she said.
“I had days that I wanted to exit the door, but I’m glad I pulled that left leg back in.
“The original plan was to finish off after the Paris Olympics, but we [with coach Paul Coffa] didn’t get what we wanted.”
Cikamatana is the first woman to win Commonwealth Games gold for two countries in an individual sport.
She is also aiming to compete at the 2028 LA Olympics.
