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It was big day for Oceania athletes at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Eileen Cikamatana from Australia had her third straight win, Seine Stowers from Samoa became the youngest champion of the week and Cikamatana’s team-mate Oliver Saxton won a bronze medal.

Malaysia guaranteed top place in the medals table for the first time when Syahmi Nor-Ghazali won at 94kg, leaving his team on five golds and one bronze with three events to come at the SEC Armadillo on Thursday.

England had two athletes on the podium – one of whom made big headlines on the BBC earlier in the day – and a psychologist claimed a bronze for Wales.

Eileen Cikamatana (AUS)

Cikamatana, who won for Fiji in 2018 and Australia in 2022, joined Mirabai Chanu and Maude Charron in completing a hat-trick of women’s golds – a feat that had never been achieved before these Games.

After making only one snatch, Cikamatana finished well clear at 86kg on 108-140-248. Madias Ngake was second for England on 111-128-239 and Rose Beaudoin from Canada third on 103-127-230.

Silver medallist Ngake was fourth last time she lifted at the Commonwealth Games way back in 2010, for Cameroon, where she was born and raised. She then finished sixth at the London 2012 Olympic Games and was promoted to third place years later after retrospective doping disqualifications, and awarded the bronze medal in 2020.

Madias Ngake (ENG)

By then Ngake, 34, was living and working in England, and when she returned to weightlifting that year after a long break from the sport she had switched nationality. She had stayed and sought asylum after London 2012 because of her sexuality.

Being gay is illegal in Cameroon. “I had to take a decision for my safety, for my future,” she told the BBC.

Women’s 86kg podium

Her Olympic medal was sent to Cameroon in 2020 and Ngake has never seen it, as highlighted previously by the IWF and, today, in a lengthy BBC interview that has reached a huge audience.

It prompted Forrester Osei, chair of the IWF Athletes Commission, to say, “We will definitely get to work for Madias. She earned that bronze medal and she should have it in her hands.

“The IWF Athletes Commission will contact the IOC Athletes Commission to raise awareness of what has happened and to ask for their help in getting something done about it. We will also contact the IOC direct and ask them to either trace the medal or make sure another one can be found for Madias.”

Forrester Osei (GHA)

Ngake had her hair styled in red and white for today’s competition. “Emily Campbell did it,” she laughed. “Looking back over the years, I never really thought I would be here now, winning a medal for my new country and thinking about qualifying for the next Olympic Games.”

She was happy to hear of the Athletes Commission’s support and said, “It would mean so much to me to get that (Olympic) medal.”

Osei was on the platform in Glasgow, finishing fifth for Ghana behind Nor Ghazali despite a serious hamstring injury suffered 10 weeks ago, which will require surgery.

“I love weightlifting and I’m just grateful to be here,” he said after making 148-180-328. “I didn’t want to miss it.”

Syahmi Nor-Ghazali (MAS)

Nor-Ghazali was also injured, but not seriously. He suffered cramp in his left hamstring while attempting a 205kg clean and jerk, and it came back to ruin his final attempt too.

“I just need some rest now, I want to sleep,” he said. “We all trained so hard for these Games, we were at a camp in Turkiye for weeks. I made a big sacrifice – I haven’t even seen my mum for three months.

“But what a great feeling to win. And five gold medals is a miracle. Thankyou God, thankyou Allah, thankyou Scotland.”

Men’s 94kg podium

Nor-Ghazali won with two good lifts on 150-197-347 ahead of Alex Bellemarre from Canada on 159-187-346. Saxton was third on 156-180-336.

“My dad was coaching me, my mum was watching and I could hear them both shouting,” said a happy Saxton, 22. “There’s an awesome vibe here and now I’m looking forward to a good meal – in fact I think I’ll eat two meals.”

His dad Andy, a Commonwealth Games champion for England in 1990 before he moved to – and competed for – Australia, said, “He can have whatever he wants. I’m very proud of him.”

Seine Stowers (SAM)

Stowers, who holds two Commonwealth records despite being only 18, followed her sister’s example by winning gold at 77kg. Feagaiga Stowers, 25, won the super-heavyweights in 2018.

“She told me about what to expect at the Commonwealth Games and I knew I could win a medal. I’m really proud of myself,” said Seine. “Next up will be the (senior) World Championships.”

Bella Brown was second, a good effort after missing her first two snatches at 95kg. “I haven’t missed at that weight for about a year and I was really angry with myself,” she said after making 97-132-229.

Women’s 77kg podium

Brown, 21, was supposed to graduate from Nottingham University yesterday, in history. “But they allowed me to defer my dissertation until next year so I’m here winning a silver medal instead.

“I’ve never done anything at this level before, so it was a very good experience before going into Olympic qualifying – but the 77kg category is really, really tough.”

The 20-year-old New Zealander Georgia Theron made all six lifts for 100-123-223 to sit in a medal position but dropped down to fourth when Laura Hughes made her final attempt to win bronze for Wales on 95-129-224.

Hughes was third at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where her coach Gareth Evans won at 69kg. She took a long break to focus on her psychology degree and her job for the NHS as a mental health recovery specialist. Now she is hoping to get the chance to study for a doctorate at her local university, Bangor, and to become a clinical psychologist.

“When I decided to return to weightlifting there were no long-term objectives. I just had my sights set on here,” she said. “I’m 33 and feeling the healthiest I’ve ever been.

“A medal wasn’t in my mind at all but for Gareth it was. He had so much confidence in me, and I really benefited from his experience, his energy and that confidence.”

By Brian Oliver

Photos by Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia