23 Jan 2018

Pa'i Nanai - champion blind powerlifter

From Nine To Noon, 10:09 am on 23 January 2018

Pa'i Nanai is a six-time world record holding powerlifter. Born in New Zealand of Samoan parents, the family moved back to Samoa before settling finally in Australia when he was a child. As a young man, two separate and totally random accidents in the same year left Pa'i blind in both eyes, which lead to a dangerous period of risk taking, alcohol and abuse and depression. It was a training session at a gym that uncovered his potential for powerlifting. He talks with Kathryn Ryan about how the sport has helped him overcome his difficult past.