Hometown hero Steven Kari was forced to share top billing during last night's 94kg weightlifting competition at the Pacific Games, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Steven Kari, PNG weightlifter Photo: RNZI/Vinnie Wylie
The Commonwealth Games champion was upstaged by Samoa's Siaosi Leusio in the snatch before lifting 204kg to win gold in the clean and jerk and overall categories, as well as the Oceania Championships.
The 22 year-old says he should have done better but admits the pressure of competing in front of a home crowd got to him.
"This is even more stronger, more louder than in Glasgow what I had. The crowd made me nervous today because when a person is carrying the bar he has to focus and that's where all the crowd have to [be] silent. The lifter has to do his own job but I was everywhere and the crowd made me nervous and my mind was not in the lifting. My mind was in with the crowd instead of focusing on my lifting."
Steven Kari says his next major competition is the Commonwealth Championships in October and he will give everything to ensure this time he wins all the gold medals.
