Erika Yamasaki

Erika Yamasaki
Personal information
Full nameErika Yuriko Iris Yamasaki
Nationality Australia
Born (1987-09-02) 2 September 1987 (age 37)
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Height4 ft 11 in (150 cm)
Weight59 kg (130 lb)
Sport
SportWeightlifting
Event–55/59kg
ClubCougars Weightlifting Club
Medal record
Women's weightlifting
Representing  Australia
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Melbourne 48 kg
Pacific Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Port Moresby 53 kg
Gold medal – first place 2019 Apia 59 kg
Commonwealth Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Penang 58 kg
Silver medal – second place 2017 Gold Coast 58 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Apia 59 kg
Oceania Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Port Moresby 53 kg
Gold medal – first place 2016 Suva 48 kg
Gold medal – first place 2019 Apia 59 kg
Silver medal – second place 2011 Darwin 58 kg
Silver medal – second place 2014 Le Mont-Dore 58 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Brisbane 53 kg
Arafura Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Darwin 59 kg
Silver medal – second place 2011 Darwin 58 kg

Erika Yuriko Iris Yamasaki (born 2 September 1987) is an Australian weightlifter. The daughter of Minoru Yamasaki and Ann Alvisio, she started Weightlifting in 2000, when she was tested in a talent identification program, along with her brother John Yamasaki. Erika first started to represent Australia in 2003 at the Oceania Championships, Niue Island. She has now competed at several international events, including Oceania Championships, World Championships, World Cup, Commonwealth Championships, Pacific and Commonwealth Games.

She represented Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.[1] She finished in 12th place in the women's 59 kg event.[2]

Career

Erika Yamasaki won a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the women's 48 kilogram event[3] by snatching 69 kilograms, and clean and jerking 87 kilograms.

After the 2006 Commonwealth Games she had an operation to remove a labral tear in her hip joint which she obtained late 2005 whilst training.

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games she competed in the 48 kilogram event, snatching 73 kilograms, which was an Oceania record, but unfortunately was injured during the warm up for the clean and jerk, tearing the internal ligament in her elbow, and was not able to secure a clean and jerk result.

Prior to weight class and age group changes Yamasaki held 23 Queensland, 15 Australian records and 1 Oceania record, including events in the under 16, under 18 and open categories from weight classes from the 40 kg division to the 58 kg divisions inclusive.

Yamasaki is the first and only female to clean and jerk double body weight in Australia. At the 2015 National Championships she successfully lifted 106 kg in the 53 kg division.

International record

2003
  • Oceania & South Pacific Junior Championships – Niue
2004
2005
2006
2007
2010
2011
2014
2015
  • Arnold Invitational – Melbourne, Australia
  • Pacific Games & Oceania Senior Championships – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
  • World Senior Championships – Houston, Texas
2016
  • Oceania Senior Championships – Suva, Fiji
  • Commonwealth Championships – Penang, Malaysia
2016
2016

Personal bests

Lift Weight Date
Snatch 84.0 kg 2015
Clean & Jerk 106.0 kg 2015
Total 188.0 kg 2015

References

  1. ^ "Five weightlifters announced for Australia's Tokyo Olympics team". Xinhuanet. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Women's 59 kg Results" (PDF). Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Commonwealth Games day one review". BBC News. 16 March 2006. Retrieved 24 January 2010.