Two future sporting stars will be raising the bar for gold in Singapore next month after they were selected as Australia’s weightlifting representatives for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

Liam Larkins and Michelle Kahi are both national junior champions for their age and weight division. Larkins will contest the male 77kg weight division in Singapore while Kahi will feature in the 63kg female division.

Following in the footsteps of relatives, both have risen in the ranks to make names for themselves in what is becoming an increasingly popular sport in Australia.

“My dad was a weightlifter and he got me into it,” Larkins said. “He is very supportive and will be coming to Singapore to cheer me on.”

“My brothers and sisters are all weightlifters. It looked fun so I thought I would start to get involved,” Kahi who was born in New Zealand added. 

With the pressures of international competition to put them to the test, Australia’s young weightlifters are looking forward to the experience the Youth Olympics will provide.

“It will be a great experience and a great opportunity to achieve my personal best,” Kahi said.

“I’m looking forward to matching up against the best in the world and seeing how I can perform against them,” Larkins added.

With the best youngsters the world has to offer all vying for a medal, Larkins and Kahi know that they have to focus on getting the best out of themselves when they take to the floor at Singapore’s Toa Payoh Sports Hall.

“I am pushing myself to get personal bests. I want to lift 100kg (current best 95kg) in the snatch and 120kg (current best 116kg) in the clean and jerk,” Larkins said. 

“I am currently training four days,” Larkins said. “I’m always motivated to do my best but I’m especially giving it all for the Youth Olympics.”

Weightlifting will feature six weight divisions for men and five for women and will run across five days, beginning on August 15.  

Matt Bartolo
AOC