Antonette Labausa and Devine Pua pose with the gold medals they won at the 2024 Guam National Championships in Guam on Saturday.
NMI weightlifters Antonette Labausa and Devine Pua won gold medals in their respective weight classes at the 2024 Guam National Championships in Guam on Saturday.
Labausa exceeded all expectations as she lifted a total weight of 168kg to claim gold in the 86kg weight class.
In the snatch portion, Labausa successfully lifted 70kg in her first attempt and 73kg in the second attempt, but failed to lift 75kg in her third and final attempt.
As for the clean & jerk portion, she lifted 95kg in her first attempt and pushed further for 95kg in her second attempt, but was unable to lift 100kg in her third and final attempt.
She accumulated a total weight of 168kg which was more than enough to secure a gold medal.
After some time off following the Micronesian Games, Labausa started preparing for the Guam event in September.
“I had a minor knee surgery during the break after the Micronesian Games, but I just stayed focus on making my first lifts, and after being successful, I just started having fun,” Labausa said. “Personally, it was a huge win to overcome my own doubts and professionally this meant that I am on the right track for my own goals this coming year as we look forward to the Pacific Mini Games 2025 in Palau.”
Labausa thanked her teammates, their coach, the CNMI Weightlifting Federation, as well as her family and friends for their continued support.
Sharing the spotlight was Devine Pua, who earned gold in the 63kg weight class with a total weight of 118kg — a snatch of 53kg and clean & jerk of 65kg.
Pua was introduced to weightlifting by her partner, Labausa. “After months of watching her train, I finally decided to try it out in 2022. I’ve been training and competing on and off ever since,” Pua said
She said her focus was on maximizing lifts, perfecting technique, and establishing herself in the weightlifting competition scene.
“Truthfully, I wasn’t even thinking about medaling because I only started training consistently again for about four months,” Pua said. “But it definitely showed me how much stronger I am mentally and physically compared to when I first competed in Guam about a year ago,” she added.
She believes that what contributed most to her success was “the time and discipline I put into training this time around, and most especially my coach, Mr. John Davis [of CNMI Weightlifting], and my partner Ant for all the guidance and support throughout the process of coming back into the sport.”
Pua added, “So, a huge thank you to them because I wouldn’t be here without them both! As well as to all my family and my mom, for their support and help with fundraising efforts.”
