WORTH THE WEIGHT:
HEAVY LIFTERS ON THE GOLD COAST FOR GAMES WARM-UP
TEGAN Napper’s quest for Commonwealth Games glory will today start at the Gold Coast venue she hopes to again call home in 2018.
The lightly framed former Gold Coaster, now based in Adelaide, shapes as Australia’s best medal hope at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships beginning today.
More than 400 weightlifters from throughout the Commonwealth will compete in the week-long Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre championships, a preview of next year’s Games.
Napper, 30, is one of 13 Australians competing today, lifting alongside fellow Queenslander Alyce Stephenson in the women’s 48kg division.
After being outgunned by bigger rivals in several sports as a youngster, Napper turned to weightlifting with astounding success.
She was a resident of the Gold Coast when she finished fourth for Australia at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
“People are always surprised because I am so little,” she told the Bulletin in 2014.
“They usually think that weightlifters are big and bulky people, so they’re surprised that I’m strong and this little. Just generally people are in shock that I’m strong and small.’’
Napper moved to Adelaide in recent years and struggled with injury, before returning to the floor last year and recording her personal best total of 168.
The favourite in the women’s 48kg will be India’s Mirabi Chanu Saikhom, a silver medallist in Glasgow.
Also competing for Australia today will be Napper’s Glasgow teammate Vannara Be in the men’s 62kg division. The Victorian, who finished ninth in Glasgow, only returned to competitive weightlifting this year in an attempt to qualify for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
Competition today begins at 8am, with Napper and Stephenson due to lift from midday.