Sāmoa sensation Seine Stowers powers Pacific to gold with record lifts at the Glasgow Games

Seine Stowers has announced herself as one of the Pacific's brightest sporting stars, lifting Sāmoa to its first gold medal of the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a record-breaking performance.

The 18-year-old dominated the women's 77kg weightlifting final, setting a new Commonwealth record in the snatch with 107kg before sealing gold with a 130kg clean and jerk for a Games record total of 237kg.

England's Isabella Brown claimed silver with 229kg while Wales' Laura Hughes took bronze with 224kg.

Stowers had already secured the title before making one final attempt at 133kg in the clean and jerk to reclaim the Games record in that lift after Brown briefly set a new mark with 132kg. The lift was ruled a no lift but it did little to take the shine off Sāmoa's golden moment.

"I knew I was going to win the medal. I believed in myself, I trusted in myself, because my whole family, and my country, and the Sāmoan team, they are supporting me," Stowers told the media.

"My mum is here too, and she was crying, because I'm too young, but I won the medal."

Watch Seine Stowers win gold in Glasgow below.

The victory continues a proud family tradition. Older sister Feagaiga Stowers won Commonwealth gold for Sāmoa on the Gold Coast in 2018 before adding silver at Birmingham in 2022.

"At her first Commonwealth, she won the medal and she told me this is my first Commonwealth Games," Seine said. "Her wish was for me to win the medal, and now I've won the medal, so she's going to be very excited."

Stowers arrived in Glasgow as one of the favourites after an outstanding year. She broke three youth world records at the Australian Weightlifting Championships last year with lifts of 107kg in the snatch and 137kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 244kg.

Samoa's Seine Stowers stands proudly on the top step of the podium after winning gold in the women's 77kg weightlifting at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Photo/screengrab

Her latest success gives Sāmoa its second medal of the Games after John Tafi claimed silver in weightlifting earlier this week.

There were more encouraging performances from Pacific athletes across Glasgow.

Sāmoa's Emmanuel Shalom Palota Ulimasao finished sixth in the men's 94kg weightlifting while 17-year-old teammate Sefulu Seuao placed sixth in the women's 86kg with a total lift of 219kg.

On the track, Fiji's Heleina Valetta Young matched her season's best of 24.45 seconds in the women's 200m heats but narrowly missed a place in the semi-finals.

Papua New Guinea's Isila Apkup also competed while Fiji's Yeshnil Karan, PNG's Jiuteis Robinson, Daniel Baul and William Camilus Peka all recorded season's best performances despite not progressing.

Fiji's Jasmine Daunakamakama is on track for a medal after her quarter-final victory over Sri Lanka's Keshani Hansika in the women's 57kg boxing. The win guarantees Daunakamakama at least a Commonwealth Games bronze medal. Photo/Glasgow Games

In the field, Nauru's Jonathan-Deiwea Detageouwa and Tonga's Penisimani Taeiloa booked places in Friday's men's shot put final.

Niue's Caleb Misipeka produced a personal best throw of 11.10 metres while Tonga's Ata Maama Tu'utafaiva finished eighth and Sāmoa's Nu'u Tuilefano 11th in the women's shot put.

In boxing, Fiji's Jasmine Daunakamakama guaranteed herself at least a bronze medal after beating Sri Lanka's Keshani Hansika in the women's 57kg quarter-final.

Daunakamakama becomes Fiji's first female boxer to secure a Commonwealth Games medal. The 21-year-old will now face defending champion Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland in the semi-finals.

Watch Sāmoa's Seine Stowers receive her gold medal in Glasgow below.

Sāmoa's Michael Seko and Marion Ah Tong were both eliminated from their respective quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Norfolk Island's Shae Wilson picked up a women's singles lawn bowls win over Namibia's Diana Viljoen while Tonga's Tala suffered a 94-31 loss to England in netball.

For Pacific fans though, the day belonged to Stowers - the latest Sāmoan weightlifting star to stand on top of the Commonwealth podium and a teenager who looks set to carry that proud legacy for years to come.

To keep up to date with all your favourite Pacific athletes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, click here.