Seine Stowers wins 4 Golds, sets 12 new Records on her 18th birthday

By Jeannie Penehuro/

Apia, SAMOA – 30 April 2026: One cannot ask for a better birthday gift. At 18 years old today, Samoan star weightlifter Seine Stowers provided exactly what Samoa expected from her on Day 4 of the 2026 Universal Weightlifting Championship at the Faleata Sports Complex.

She gave an outstanding performance at todays’ competition winning four gold medals and setting 12 new records in the Junior Women Snatch and the Clean & Jerk categories.

Records
Starting at 108 kg, Seine missed the second attempt and nailed an impressive 112kg in her last lift in the Snatch setting:

• 3 records in the Junior Oceania Championships
• 3 records Senior Oceania Championships
• 3 records Junior Commonwealth Championships
• 3 records Senior Commonwealth Championships

Seine competed against 16 female contenders from the Pacific including New Zealand, Australia and Nigeria in the Women’s 77kg Group A.

One of her new records was lifting 142kg in the Clean and Jerk category where she also won gold.

The Silver medal went to Taiwo Liadi of Nigeria and bronze medal to Hayley Whiting of Australia.

A proud family
Seines family is familiar with winning and gold medals as Seine’s older sister, Feagaiga Stowers had been on the same pedestal winning honours for Samoa in weightlifting.

Her mother Maofa Lagaaia Vaeono expressed joy and pride in her daughter’s achievements.

“I feel very pleased and happy that my daughter achieved this huge accomplishment,” she said.

“Seine is continuing Feagaigas’ legacy and we do not hold her back whenever she prepares for upcoming games,” said the proud mother.

“She started her weightlifting journey at 14 and has always been honest and dedicated to her training,” said Maofa.

Seine Stowers on podium, achieving the best for Samoa.

Paul Coffa predicts a bright future for Seine
The General Secretary of Oceania and Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation, Paul Coffa has heaped praises on Seines’ record-breaking performance.

“Seine broke numerous records across Junior, Senior, and Youth divisions in both the Commonwealth and Oceania,” he said.

He predicted that Seine will win gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland next year.

He highlighted that Seine has become the top-ranked lifter in her category within the Commonwealth, a position she secured with her recent gold medal victory.

Coffa said that the closest competitor to Seine is a girl from Nigeria, who is 15kgs behind her in ranking and did not compete in today’s event.

Seine Stowers with her family after the competition.

A perfect birthday gift
Seine stood emotionally as the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to her.

She turns 18 today and her mother said what better gift than lifting Samoa to a higher standard.

“I feel very blessed to have achieved this and to win four gold medals for Samoa. The support from my country means everything to me,” Seine said.

Her dedication and hard work have truly paid off, making her a shining example for aspiring athletes in Samoa and beyond.

With her record-breaking performances and unwavering determination, she is undoubtedly a name to watch in upcoming international competitions.