Sāmoa is celebrating its first medal of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after John Lautafi Tafi claimed silver in a dramatic men’s 71kg weightlifting final.
Tafi produced a superb performance in one of the standout contests of the Games, finishing second behind Nigeria’s Joseph Umoafia.
The final also delivered more success for the Pacific with Nauru’s Ezekiel Moses taking the bronze medal.
The trio traded big lifts throughout the competition with both Tafi and Moses breaking Commonwealth Games records during the clean and jerk before Umoafia sealed victory with a Games record combined total of 319kg.
Umoafia’s win sparked emotional celebrations as he collapsed to the platform in relief before being embraced by teammates.
Tafi’s silver is Sāmoa’s first medal of the Glasgow Games and continues the nation’s proud weightlifting tradition on the Commonwealth stage.
Watch John Lautafi Tafi and Ezekiel Moses in the weightlifting competition below.
For Nauru, Moses’ bronze adds another Commonwealth medal to the country’s rich weightlifting history and strengthens the Pacific’s presence on the medal table.
The latest podium finishes come just a day after Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru won bronze in the men’s 65kg division. Three Pacific nations have now celebrated medals in Glasgow.
Men’s 71kg weightlifting final
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🥇 Joseph Umoafia (Nigeria) – Games record 319kg total
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🥈 John Lautafi Tafi (Sāmoa)
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🥉 Ezekiel Moses (Nauru)
Papua New Guinea’s Morea Baru celebrates after completing his medal-winning lifts in the men’s 65kg weightlifting competition at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, securing the Pacific’s first medal of the Games with bronze. Photo/Team PNG
The Pacific’s strong start has reinforced the region’s reputation as a weightlifting powerhouse and the campaign is far from over with more medal hopes still to come in Glasgow.
Nauru’s Margarett Bless Harris will be among the leading contenders in the women’s 58kg final after teammate Jo-Beth Deireragea narrowly missed the podium with a fourth-place finish earlier in the Games.
Sāmoa will also look to build on Tafi’s silver when Anoni Faumui takes to the platform in the women’s 58kg competition, giving the Pacific another strong chance of reaching the medals.
Kiribati’s Ruben Katoatau is another athlete to watch in the men’s 79kg final as he aims to add his country to the medal table.
The podium finish gave Sāmoa and Nauru two more medals and strengthened the Pacific’s strong start in Glasgow. Photo/Nauru National Olympic Committee
Elsewhere, Papua New Guinea’s Kevau Baru produced a personal-best total of 225kg to finish sixth in the men’s 60kg weightlifting competition, while Kiribati’s Kaimauri Erati and Fiji’s Apakuki Wakanibua also completed the men’s 65kg final.
The Pacific boxing campaign continues with several fighters in action, including Tonga’s Josh Tonga, Fiji’s Aminiasi Saraitibau, Papua New Guinea’s Kua Gunua Mua, Sāmoa’s Marion Ah Tong, Kiribati’s Tavita Kaoma, Tuvalu’s Pasoni Badi Taafaki, Solomon Islands’ Oswald Talaka and Fiji’s Elijah Qiokata.
Norfolk Island remains the Pacific’s strongest medal hope in lawn bowls, with Ellie Dixon and Christine Jones pushing for a place in the women’s pairs semi-finals after three wins from four matches. Fiji’s Rajnesh Prasad and Cook Islands’ Royden Aperau are also still fighting through the men’s singles competition.
Nauru’s Margarett Bless Harris, 16, is preparing for the women’s 58kg weightlifting final, with the Pacific nation chasing another Commonwealth Games medal after Ezekiel Moses’ bronze in the men’s 71kg division. Photo/Glasgow 2026
Tonga’s 3×3 basketball teams also continued their strong campaigns, with the men’s side beating Papua New Guinea 12-10 after their upset win over Scotland, while the women’s team secured a 14-10 victory over Singapore.
Pacific athletes remain in action across athletics, swimming and netball, with Tonga’s Tala preparing to face Northern Ireland as teams continue their push towards the finals.
With Papua New Guinea, Sāmoa and Nauru already celebrating podium finishes, the Pacific’s weightlifting teams will be looking to continue their impressive start as the competition enters its next round of finals.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games end on 3 August. For more details, visit glasgow2026.com
Norfolk Island’s Ellie Dixon and Christine Jones remain in medal contention in the women’s pairs lawn bowls competition after a strong start to their Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games campaign. Photo/Team Norfolk
