Nauru lifter misses medals, aims for 2012

BEIJING – Nauru will have to wait four more years for an Olympic medal. Weightlifter Itte Detenamo, the only athlete representing the tiny island nation in Beijing, set a personal best Tuesday in the super heavyweight class. It wasn’t enough to win a medal, but the 150-kilogram (330-pound) Pacific strongman said he’s aiming for a podium finish in London 2012. “Yeah, I think that will be my main event," he told The Associated Press. “Now we will prepare for that for four years. It won’t be easy. We’re going to have to work hard for it. But that’s the main event we are all thinking of." Weightlifting is a big deal in Nauru, a nation of 10,000 about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Even President Marcus Stephen is a former weightlifter, who competed in three Olympics. The sport is growing throughout the South Pacific. Lifters from Tonga and Cook Islands also took part in the super heavyweight competition. Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Federated States of Micronesia were among the Pacific nations represented in other weight categories. “I think we’re just better at lifting than other sports," Detenamo said. “The Pacific people are short, but built very strong. We think that weightlifting is the only sport that can take us up." Detenamo, 21, placed fourth in the Group B session, with the top-rated lifters in the division set to compete in a later session. He scored a total of 386 kg (851 pounds), only missing the last of his six lifts. “I’m not really satisfied. If I had just made that last lift, I would be happy," Detenamo said. “My last lift ... it took everything out of me." – AP