Jaydene Nepia power lifts a NZ record at first ever competition
After only a year in the sport Nelson’s Jaydene Nepia is taking the New Zealand weightlifting world by storm as she sets new records and wins gold.
In only her third competition the gutsy teenager reset the New Zealand junior clean and jerk record to 56kg while competing at the South Island weightlifting championships in June. Jaydene broke her own previous NZ record by 1kg.
“I was stoked that I got a medal, it’s a huge achievement and my first gold. I wanted to lift my best and win for my niece.
“I received the news that my niece had just been born and only had a couple of days to live. I flew home to Rotorua to meet her almost straight after my competition. I had very mixed emotions. She was a little fighter and died on her one week birthday.”
At her competitive debut at the Christchurch invitational in March the 18-year-old claimed a New Zealand record lifting 55kgs in the Clean & Jerk under 48kg division.