By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
Koror, Palau (Island Times) — Two of Palau’s youngest weightlifting athletes, Mikaianny Sumor and Kyrah Nestor, are preparing to take the stage at the upcoming 2025 Pacific Mini Games, continuing their journey of hard work and determination in the regional weightlifting arena.
Fifteen-year-old Mikaianny Sumor, a rising sophomore at Mindszenty High School, will be competing in the 71-kilogram weight class. The Mini Games mark his third major regional competition after participating in the Guam Weightlifting Championship and the 2024 Micronesian Games held in Majuro, Marshall Islands.
Mikaianny began lifting weights in February 2023, inspired by his younger brother’s involvement in the sport. Since then, he has committed to a rigorous training routine, practicing for over two hours every weekday. Despite feeling nervous, Mikaianny said he is thrilled to represent Palau and hopes to make the nation proud.
“I’m nervous but very excited,” he said. “I want to do my best for Palau.”
Fellow lifter Kyrah Nestor, also 15 and a rising junior at Mindszenty High School, will compete in the 69-kilogram weight class. She is scheduled to perform on July 3 at 4:30 p.m.
Kyrah has been weightlifting for about four years, training five days a week for more than two hours a day. Encouraged by her father and uncle, she has competed in national and regional events including the Guam championships in 2023 and 2024, the Belau Games, and the 2024 Micronesian Games in the Marshall Islands.
One of Kyrah’s most memorable experiences was her trip to the Solomon Islands for the 2023 Pacific Games. Although she traveled with the team, she was unable to compete due to not meeting the minimum age requirement, a disappointment that brought her to tears.
“I was really sad because I wanted to compete,” she said. “This time, I’m nervous but very excited to join and meet athletes from all over the Pacific.”
Palau’s weightlifting team includes nine athletes—four female and five male competitors. The women will compete in the 58kg, 69kg, 71kg, and 81kg+ categories, while the men will participate in the 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, and 94kg classes. The team is coached by accomplished Palauan lifters Stevick Patris and Benedict Kintaro, both of whom have earned numerous national and regional medals.
With the Pacific Mini Games just around the corner, Palau’s young weightlifters are set to lift not only weights, but the hopes of a proud island nation.