Amoe-Tarrant steps up to the platform in the Women’s +87kg class where she will look to make history as the first Australian woman to win a weightlifting medal in Olympic history. 

Another first, Tokyo will be the first time the event has been held at the Olympic Games. 

The Oceania champion, who trains at Brisbane’s Cougars Weightlifting Club, began representing in Australia in 2019 after a successful career lifting for her birth country of Nauru. 

Amoe-Tarrant emigrated to Australian when she was 13-years-old and became a citizen in 2016. 

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Amoe-Tarrant put forward a 142kg clean and jerk and a 101kg snatch, enough for a silver medal ahead of Emily Campbell who will be competing alongside the Australian for Great Britain on Monday in Tokyo. 

But Amoe-Tarrant will face more than just Campbell, with a stacked field of lifters taking to the platform at the Tokyo International Forum. 

The reigning world champion, China’s Li Wenwen, will be on the hunt for her first Olympic gold medal. She lifted 186kg in her clean and jerk and 146kg in her snatch to claim the World Championships gold in 2019.  

Li did one better in April 2021 at the Asian Championships with 187kg in the clean and jerk and 148kg in the snatch to set the new world record in both. 

Also in the field will be Rio 2016 bronze medallist Sarah Robles of the United States. 

Even with a star-studded group, all eyes Australian will be on the 22-year-old Amoe-Tarrant with the cheers of the nation behind her. 

Amoe-Tarrant will lift with Group A at 8:50pm AEST in the Women’s +87kg. 

Matthew Barnard