He creamed his rivals on the Gold Coast and now steps up older and heavier opposition at the New Zealand National Olympic Weightlifting Championships in Dunedin on October 6-8.
Auckland Grammar Year 12 student, Benet Kumeroa, whose Whanganui family has links to Parikino, Koriniti, Matahiwi and Otoko, was named top youth lifter at the Commonwealth and Oceania Weightlifting Championships on the Gold Coast last week where broke 8 New Zealand records.
The 17-year-old won the Youth 94kg-plus grade and broke his own New Zealand records multiple times, including total combined weights lifted in the snatch and clean and jerk three times.
Kumeroa lifted 137kg in the snatch and 170kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 307kg.
"That gave me the win in my age and weight class, the U17 94kg-plus division," Kumeroa said.