Ex-pat Whanganui weightlifter Benet Kumeroa is hitting personal bests at the perfect moment as he arrived in Bangkok to compete in the IWF Youth World Championships this week.
The current Auckland Grammar student - whose Whanganui family has links to Parikino, Koriniti, Matahiwi and Otoko - won silver in theYouth 94kg+ division at the Oceania championships in May 2016.
Father Chris Kumeroa said he has been preparing for the youth world championships since Christmas, having missed out on the event when it was held in Malaysia last year due to Cambridge Exams at school.
"But now he has the chance to compete as a Junior [U17's], next year he moves onto Youth division which is Under 20's," said Kumeroa senior.
"Benet trains six days a week at the gym with Ritchie Patterson, three hours a day of weightlifting and juggling 1st XV training and Year 12 school work this year."
Patterson was the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the Men's 85kg division.
At a recent competition in Papatoetoe, which was Kumeroa's last prep-weight before departing, he exceeded his own personal bests with a 125kg lift in the snatch and 151kg in the clean & jerk.
Chris Kumeroa said his son has broken 33 national records in those two disciplines over the last couple of years.
"Despite living in Auckland, our people in Whanganui have been extremely supportive towards him going to the worlds and we are extremely grateful.
"He is of Whanganui Iwi decent and we try and keep him connected to home as much as possible, so he will always know where home is.
"This is particularly important as we forge forward as an Iwi, as like us all he will have a role to play in providing support for our collective effort as a people."
The IWF Youth World Championships start tomorrow, NZ time, and run to April 10-11.
