Latest news with #WeightliftingNewZealand
Newsroom
10-06-2025
- Health
- Newsroom
Māmā Kells raises the bar for women in weightlifting
Sport has been a constant in Kelly Ihaka-Pitama's life. As a teenager, she was a talented shot put and discus thrower, competing against world champion Beatrice Faumuina. She rose to Commonwealth Games level, but never got the chance to compete at a Games. Instead, Ihaka-Pitama studied sports science and worked in the sporting industry until she was 22, when she met her future husband. They bought a home and travelled, then Ihaka-Pitama began a successful career in freight forwarding and logistics. But sport was never far from her mind, and she started coaching athletics and netball. At 40, Ihaka-Pitama fell ill with a tumour in her thyroid. After surgery, she joined a gym, started doing CrossFit and was soon hooked on weightlifting. 'I love the sport. It's been a whirlwind relationship that's gone from zero to 100,' she says. 'I wish I'd found weightlifting at 16.' She still competes in lifting and is the current New Zealand champion in her 45-49 age group, holding national masters records in two weight divisions, competing out of the Papatoetoe Weightlifting Club. 'I'm the oldest lifter at the club, and I get called 'Māmā Kells',' says the 50-year-old, of Te Aupōuri descent. 'That's the kind of aura I bring to any space I work in. And it's something that weightlifting was missing.' Kelly Ihaka-Pitama challenged the thinking of those running weightlifting in NZ during her residency. Photo: Thomas Hamill Photography Ihaka-Pitama was working as a team leader in freight forwarding when she got talking to Simon Kent, the president of Weightlifting New Zealand, who also coaches at the Papatoetoe club. With her business background, Kent thought she'd be perfect for the Women in High Performance residency experience – working for weightlifting's national body. 'But I was also studying, working, training and being a mum to my kids,' says Ihaka-Pitama, who was studying health science majoring in integrated health, and had two daughters, aged 21 and 17. 'But then my heart said, 'Yes, I want to give this a go',' she says. 'It took me six weeks to complete the forms… I'm an overthinker. I didn't really know what I was getting into.' Ihaka-Pitama's successful application led to two part-time roles – one as general manager of high performance development at Weightlifting NZ; the other within High Performance Sport NZ. The latter was a chance for Ihaka-Pitama, South Auckland born and raised, to share her local knowledge with the HPSNZ Pathways team for six months, as they explored high performance opportunities in her area. 'I'm grateful I took on this project because it gave me exposure to the high performance system. If I'd gone straight into Weightlifting NZ, I wouldn't have initially understood the HP processes,' says Ihaka-Pitama, who initially had to learn the 'new language' of high performance. 'It was challenging, learning from scratch, but what I learned was invaluable.' It wasn't easy for Ihaka-Pitama hearing that south Auckland athletes in high performance sport were encouraged to leave south Auckland to be better. 'That kind of hurt, because I've been living there my entire life, and there were high performance athletes who had stayed and been successful,' she says. 'But understanding how high performance rolls after seeing it and being amongst it, I get it now.' Ihaka-Pitama's work at Weightlifting NZ, as the sport's first fulltime employee, was a game-changer, Kent says. 'Before Kelly, we had volunteers trying to deliver high performance outcomes,' says the weightlifting performance coach. 'It's often not the glamorous stuff, but stuff that needs to be done that can slip through the cracks. Part of the role was sometimes rolling up your sleeves and helping out at a club competition. 'It's been a massive transition for Kelly. She'd just started coming to the club and had a real enthusiasm for the sport and a willingness to learn. Her logistics background definitely brought the processes we needed.' Kelly Ihaka-Pitama walks through the gym while NZ's top lifters train. Photo: Thomas Hamill Photography Ihaka-Pitama went through a process of figuring out how to lead in weightlifting. As part of the residency, she did the 360-degree leadership assessment that highlighted her strengths, but also 'what I lacked, what I hid behind and ran away from,' she says. She spent six weeks working with Helene Wilson, HPSNZ's Women in High Performance lead, to help her recognise who she was as a leader. 'I discovered why I had reactive tendencies towards a situation, and how I could adapt to a situation in a better way. How to move forward and say, 'Hey, I want to do this' or approaching a coach who may be difficult to work with, or speaking to an athlete who's just missed out on selection,' Ihaka-Pitama says. 'Some of those conversations are quite hard if you don't understand yourself as a leader. 'Understanding who I was contributed to me becoming a better leader, because it became more natural to me and authentic to who I was. I came across as me – Māmā Kells – rather than running away from an issue.' Ihaka-Pitama experienced growing pains working at a truly volunteer sport. But preparing the high performance plan for investment was where Ihaka-Pitama took the lead. 'When weightlifting's leaders met on how we would present the plan, I challenged the thinking to start from scratch, rather than use a strategy from yesteryear,' she says. Another key moment for Ihaka-Pitama came when she travelled with the New Zealand junior weightlifters to Europe in 2024 – spending a week at the training base of the Italian Olympic team, before the IWF world junior championships in Spain. 'The Italians were training on site with us, and I got to witness how other federations train and coach at a high performance level. And I preferred our way,' Ihaka-Pitama says. Her leadership was tested when two young New Zealand lifters failed to reach expectations at the world championships. 'When a couple of our athletes bombed out in the competition, I had to basically pull on every strength I could possibly think of, in order not to fall into a trap of feeling like that person I was at the beginning,' she says. 'It was difficult – I'd never been in such a high-pressured situation – and I needed to be the leader who was sympathetic, but also realistic. This is the athlete's job, they're here to perform and compete, but as a group, how do we wrap support around them, and explain to them it's okay to sit in disappointment and failure?' Olympian Megan Signal (right) has helped Kelly Ihaka-Pitama (left) in lifting leadership. Photo: Thomas Hamill Ihaka-Pitama learned from her roommate on that trip, Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete Megan Signal, who now runs the Papatoetoe Olympic Weightlifting Club and manages projects for Weightlifting NZ. 'When we had two young girls struggle, Kelly saw very quickly how even after a great build-up, things can suddenly flip. And if you don't nip it in the bud then and there, you're going to have the continuum of a downward spiral,' Signal says. 'One night we all sat down and had an open conversation. Kelly walked away from that with her eyes opened – it was a big learning space for her.' Ihaka-Pitama was then able to take what she'd learned in Europe and apply it to the weightlifting community in New Zealand. 'I took that back home for other athletes who didn't perform to expectations at nationals. And I even used it for myself, when I bombed in competition,' she says. Signal has seen Ihaka-Pitama grow personally during her tenure at Weightlifting NZ, but the sport also benefitted from the skills she already had – athlete experience, logistics and people skills. 'Aside from Kelly's ability to put structures and policy in place, she's got a real warmth when it comes to building relationships with athletes, coaches and officials,' Signal says. 'So many of our high performance and pre-high performance athletes are under the age of 20, and trying to understand a document or a qualification process can be really intimidating. 'And Kelly's warmth just makes that so much easier. Being a woman, and a mum, and having the life experience she has, it's been very good for our sport.' Neroli King agrees. She's Clean Sport Officer for Weightlifting NZ and has known Ihaka-Pitama as a fellow Masters weightlifting competitor. 'We went away as joint team managers to an event, and we worked really well together, because she works so well with people. She has a more community-minded, personal approach with the athletes and she's a great communicator,' King says. 'The sport made huge strides forward during her time there because she's been able to create those connections. Being fulltime, she could concentrate on that.' Having a woman leading the sport's high performance space is a 'no-brainer' for King. 'Weightlifting in New Zealand now has more females than males and we strongly promote women in weightlifting,' says King, who's been part of the IWF Women's Commission. 'Having female leaders in this space is important. 'High performance is not a male-only space. And we're a sport that constantly breaks boundaries. And if that includes having Kelly in a high performance role, when other sports don't, then, yes, we'll own it. But she's also great at what she does.' NZ weightlifting coaches (from left) Gabrielle Peach and Megan Signal, with Kelly Ihaka-Pitama and athlete Medea Jones. Photo: Thomas Hamill Kent says changes are afoot in high performance environments that have so long been a male domain. 'Women have only been competing in weightlifting at the Olympics since Sydney 2000, so we're now at a point, 24 years on, where we're starting to see shifts, including more female coaches,' he says. 'Kelly has brought something quite different – the empathy, the relationship-building – where a male in the role might have said, 'No this is what HP needs to look like'. New Zealand was a little ahead of the curve with the upsurge of female lifters we have coming through, so we had to change our approach. And I think Kelly has really added to that.' As an athlete, Ihaka-Pitama is well aware the end goal in weightlifting is always the same – everyone gets three lifts of snatch, and clean and jerk; everyone wants to better their last lift. But it's what goes on in the background that can make a world of difference to a lifter's performance. 'It's about the things we can do on a day-to-day basis – the planning, and the strategies. It's about how can we actually make this better? What environment can we create for the athletes, so they get exposure to high performance? How can our coaches lead better?' she says. 'Our sport is growing exponentially, so we have to be better. We want Kiwis to choose weightlifting, and we'll also go out to the community and find them.' On a personal level, Ihaka-Pitama's development through the Women in High Performance Sport residency experience has been exponential, too. 'I've had huge personal growth. I'm not the same person I was when I first arrived. I was happy to stay in freight forwarding until I die; now I want to fight to stay in sport, to continue the work I started for the people in the sport, the relationships that have been forged, and what we're building for the next generation,' she says. 'There's a lot of good mahi happening within our sport – we're on the right path.' Now that her residency has finished, Ihaka-Pitama is back working in the freight industry – 'and genuinely happy,' she says. 'My involvement with Weightlifting NZ continues, and it's incredibly rewarding to witness the enduring impact of the past two-and-a-half years. The sport is gaining momentum, and emerging athletes are defying challenges to showcase their talent on a global stage. Their resilience and unwavering commitment inspire a new era of excellence. 'My passion for weightlifting remains resolute – I continue to train, compete and coach. And I don't see that changing anytime soon.' This story originally appeared on the High Performance Sport New Zealand website and is published with permission
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
2025 Pacific Mini Games: Weightlifters to represent New Zealand in Palau
Two-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, David Liti, will lead the New Zealand Team in the Men's +110kg category. Photo: New Zealand Olympic Committee A nine-member weightlifting team will represent Team New Zealand at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau. The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) confirmed this in a news release on Wednesday. Weightlifting New Zealand President Simon Kent said he is looking forward to a strong showing from the group at the event from 29 June to 9 July. Two-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist David Liti will lead the New Zealand Team in the Men's +110kg category. Kent said Liti's inclusion will be good for the team, which will have some debutants. "With a decade of international experience, David's presence will be a valuable asset to the group as they navigate being part of a multi-sport event," Kent said. "Five athletes will be making their New Zealand debuts at these Games, something we know will be a special time for them and their families. "The Pacific Mini Games are the ideal setting for these athletes to gain international experience, as competing in the Pacific offers its own unique challenges - the travel, foreign conditions and generally being out of their comfort zone are all factors for them to consider and ultimately lean into." Kent said the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games are a stepping stone on the journey for athletes hopeful of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games selection. "Athletes from across the Commonwealth will compete in Palau, India, Norway and Samoa during the next 10 months, aiming to secure their spot on the final ranking list for next July's showpiece event in Glasgow," he added. NZOC chief executive Nicki Nicol also extended her support to Team New Zealand. "We're proud to support this talented group as they represent the New Zealand Team, particularly those who will wear the fern for the first time. "For some, the Pacific Mini Games could be the first step on their journey towards representing New Zealand at a major Games, and we wish them all the best for a successful campaign in Palau." New Zealand Team confirmed for the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games (*denotes New Zealand Team debut): Hannah Close* (26 years old, Women's Under-58kg), Holly Drain (26 years old, Women's Under-77kg), Sienna Fesolai (19 years old, Women's Under-69kg ), David Liti (28 years old, Men's +110kg), Tui-Alofa Patolo* (34 years old, Women's +86kg category), Louise Richards* (27 years old, Women's Under-63kg), Monica Saili-Hiakita* (27 years old, Women's Under-77kg), Judy Soloai* (30 years old, Women's +86kg), Vernon Taylor (26 years old, Men's Under-71kg)
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Nine Athletes Confirmed For Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games
Press Release – New Zealand Olympic Committee The New Zealand Team will be made up exclusively of weightlifters with Weightlifting New Zealand President, Simon Kent looking forward to a strong showing from the group. The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) has confirmed a nine-strong New Zealand Team to compete at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games held in Palau from June 29 to July 9. The New Zealand Team will be made up exclusively of weightlifters with Weightlifting New Zealand President, Simon Kent looking forward to a strong showing from the group. 'Five athletes will be making their New Zealand debuts at these Games, something we know will be a special time for them and their families,' said Kent. 'The Pacific Mini Games are the ideal setting for these athletes to gain international experience, as competing in the Pacific offers its own unique challenges – the travel, foreign conditions and generally being out of their comfort zone are all factors for them to consider and ultimately lean into,' he said. Two-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, David Liti, will represent the New Zealand Team in the Men's +110kg category, with Kent noting the benefit of Liti's inclusion. 'With a decade of international experience, David's presence will be a valuable asset to the group as they navigate being part of a multi-sport event,' said Kent. The Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games are a stepping stone on the journey for athletes hopeful of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games selection. 'Athletes from across the Commonwealth will compete in Palau, India, Norway and Samoa during the next 10 months, aiming to secure their spot on the final ranking list for next July's showpiece event in Glasgow,' said Kent. New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO, Nicki Nicol also extended her support to the Team. 'We're proud to support this talented group as they represent the New Zealand Team, particularly those who will wear the fern for the first time. For some, the Pacific Mini Games could be the first step on their journey towards representing New Zealand at a major Games, and we wish them all the best for a successful campaign in Palau,' said Nicol. The New Zealand Team confirmed for the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games (in alphabetical order, *denotes New Zealand Team debut): Hannah Close* (26 years old, Women's U58kg), Holly Drain (26 years old, Women's U77kg), Sienna Fesolai (19 years old, Women's U69kg), David Liti (28 years old, Men's +110kg), Tui-Alofa Patolo* (34 years old, Women's +86kg category), Louise Richards* (27 years old, Women's U63kg), Monica Saili-Hiakita* (27 years old, Women's U77kg), Judy Soloai* (30 years old, Women's +86kg), Vernon Taylor (26 years old, Men's U71kg)
