PNG’s Morea Baru wins Pacific’s first medal at Commonwealth Games

Veteran Papua New Guinea weightlifter Morea Baru has secured the Pacific region’s first medal of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after winning bronze in the men’s 65kg final.

Competing at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC Armadillo), the experienced lifter produced a combined total of 282kg, lifting 125kg in the snatch and 157kg in the clean and jerk.

Malaysia’s Muhamad Aznil Bidin took gold with a Games record total of 299kg while India’s Raja Muthupandi claimed the silver with 286kg.

Baru’s medal win is also a significant moment for Pacific athletes as he becomes the first competitor from the region to reach the podium in Glasgow.

Papua New Guinea is one of 11 Pacific Island nations competing at the Games, with PNG now among 14 countries on the medal tally out of 74 nations.

Baru, who carried PNG’s flag during the opening ceremony last Friday (NZ time), also represented his country at the Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympics, where he finished fifth overall in the 61kg weight category.

Morea Baru in action. Photo/Facebook/Team PNG

Monday’s win adds another Commonwealth Games medal to his decorated career and has given the Pacific plenty to celebrate in the opening days of competition.

Team PNG celebrated the achievement on social media posting: “Strong, determined. Proudly PNG 🫡❤️ Congratulations, Morea. Papua New Guinea celebrates with you!”

The celebrations extended beyond the podium, with Morea's younger brother Kevau Baru also impressing on his Commonwealth Games debut.

He finished sixth in the men's 60kg division after producing a personal-best total of 225kg, lifting 98kg in the snatch and 127kg in the clean and jerk.

Elsewhere, Nauru's 18-year-old Jo-Beth Deireragea continued the Pacific's strong start to the Games, placing fourth in the women's 48kg division.

On her Commonwealth Games debut, the 18-year-old lifted a combined 161kg. 70kg in the snatch and 91kg in the clean and jerk, surpassing her own Oceania record of 157kg.

Medal Tally. Photo/PMN News

* This article has been updated to include the latest 2026 Commonwealth Games medal tally. Click here to follow the medal count throughout the competition.