Erika Yamasaki competed in the Women’s 59kg where she lifted 75kg in the snatch and 95kg in the clean and jerk for a total score of 170kg. 

Yamasaki faltering in her second lift of the clean and jerk, but came back strongly in her third and final lift at 100kg. However, after a jury review she had to settle with her first attempt at 95kg.  

Throughout her competition teammate Charisma Amoe-Tarrant was cheering on from the sideline in an impassioned display of Australian spirit. 

In the 64kg, Kiana Elliott had a spectacular day in her first Olympic Games. 

Elliott secured a personal best with a 101kg snatch followed by a 108kg clean and jerk for a total score of 209. 

The cherry on the cake – she did it all on her birthday. 

“This whole journey I've just grown so much as a person and to do personal best at the Olympic games on my birthday is just the best birthday present,” Elliott said. 

Elliott came to the sport of weightlifting after a series of injuries forced an early retirement from gymnastics at the age of 14. But even through that challenging time, Elliott kept her Olympic dream alive. 

“When I retired from gymnastics, I thought my dream was gone.  

“This is 16 years of sport in the making. Eight in one sport, another eight in another. It's overwhelming to actually be here and for it to actually be happening. 

For Elliott, sport and the Olympic Games is about far more than just performances in competition. 

“I think that's what's so great about the Olympics.  

“It brings those little narratives of sport, those little narratives of looking for and trying to reach personal excellence. It brings it to the forefront of the social consciousness, and everybody gets to watch these little stories of these little athletes going about their little lives and doing these amazing things.” 

Weightlifting action continues on Day 5 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

Matthew Barnard