A Marshall Islands teenage weightlifter turned heads at the Pacific Mini Games in Wallis and Futuna this week, collecting three silver medals in her first open competition.
Sixteen-year-old Mattie Jacob-Sasser, the reigning Oceania Junior titleholder, who competes in the 58kg weight class, lifted 72kg in the snatch competition, earning her a silver medal.
In the clean and jerk, she lifted 90kg to pick up the silver and also received a silver for total pounds lifted.
The Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee President Kenneth Kramer says Jacob-Sasser's performance is hugely promising and believes the republic's weightlifters will prove a force to be reckoned with in Oceania.
Jacob-Sasser's medals are the first weightlifting medals the Marshall Islands has won at a Pacific Games and the most medals won by a Marshallese athlete at the Pacific regional competition.
She came in second only to Jenlyn Tegu Wini, a 30-year old veteran lifter from Solomon Islands, who competed last summer at the London Olympic Games.
