Erika Yamasaki

Erika Yuriko Iris Yamasaki (born 2 September 1987) is an Australian weightlifter. The daughter of Minoru Yamasaki and Ann Alvisio, she started Weightlifting in 2000, when she was tested in a talent identification program, along with her brother John Yamasaki. Erika first started to represent Australia in 2003 at the Oceania Championships, Niue Island. She has now competed at several international events, including Oceania Championships, World Championships, World Cup, Commonwealth Championships, Pacific and Commonwealth Games.

Erika Yamasaki

Personal information
Full name	Erika Yuriko Iris Yamasaki
Nationality	Australia
Born	(1987-09-02) 2 September 1987 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Height	4 ft 11 in (150 cm)
Weight	59 kg (130 lb)
Sport
Sport	Weightlifting
Event	–55/59kg
Club	Cougars Weightlifting Club
Medal record Women's weightlifting Representing Australia Commonwealth Games 2006 Melbourne 48 kg Pacific Games 2015 Port Moresby 53 kg 2019 Apia 59 kg Commonwealth Championships 2016 Penang 58 kg 2017 Gold Coast 58 kg 2019 Apia 59 kg Oceania Championships 2015 Port Moresby 53 kg 2016 Suva 48 kg 2019 Apia 59 kg 2011 Darwin 58 kg 2014 Le Mont-Dore 58 kg 2013 Brisbane 53 kg Arafura Games 2019 Darwin 59 kg 2011 Darwin 58 kg

She represented Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She finished in 12th place in the women's 59 kg event.

Career

Erika Yamasaki won a bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the women's 48 kilogram event by snatching 69 kilograms, and clean and jerking 87 kilograms.

After the 2006 Commonwealth Games she had an operation to remove a labral tear in her hip joint which she obtained late 2005 whilst training.

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games she competed in the 48 kilogram event, snatching 73 kilograms, which was an Oceania record, but unfortunately was injured during the warm up for the clean and jerk, tearing the internal ligament in her elbow, and was not able to secure a clean and jerk result.

Prior to weight class and age group changes Yamasaki held 23 Queensland, 15 Australian records and 1 Oceania record, including events in the under 16, under 18 and open categories from weight classes from the 40 kg division to the 58 kg divisions inclusive.

Yamasaki is the first and only female to clean and jerk double body weight in Australia. At the 2015 National Championships she successfully lifted 106 kg in the 53 kg division.

International record

2003

• Oceania & South Pacific Junior Championships – Niue

2004

• Oceania Senior & Junior Championships – Suva, Fiji
• World Junior Championships – Minsk, Belarus
• Mermet Cup (AUS vs. USA) – Melbourne, Australia
• Commonwealth Youth Games – Bendigo, Australia

2005

• Australian Youth Olympic Festival – Sydney, Australia
• World Junior Championships – Busan, South Korea
• Mermet Cup International – Louisiana, USA
• Commonwealth, Oceania & South Pacific Championships – Melbourne, Australia

2006

• Melbourne Commonwealth Games – Melbourne, Australia
• World Junior Championships – Hangzhou, China

2007

• Arafura Games – Darwin, Northern Territory
• World Junior Championships – Prague, Czech Republic
• IWF World Cup – Apia, Samoa

2010

• Delhi Commonwealth Games – New Delhi, India

2011

• Arafura Games & Oceania Championships – Darwin, Northern Territory

2014

• Glasgow Commonwealth Games – Glasgow, Scotland
• World Senior Championships – Kazakhstan

2015

• Arnold Invitational – Melbourne, Australia
• Pacific Games & Oceania Senior Championships – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
• World Senior Championships – Houston, Texas

2016

• Oceania Senior Championships – Suva, Fiji
• Commonwealth Championships – Penang, Malaysia

2016

• Commonwealth & Oceania Championships – Gold Coast, Queensland
• Commonwealth Championships – Penang, Malaysia

2016

• Arafura Games – Darwin, Northern Territory

Personal bests

Lift	Weight	Date
Snatch	84.0 kg	2015
Clean & Jerk	106.0 kg	2015
Total	188.0 kg	2015

External links

• Erika Yamasaki at the International Weightlifting Federation
• Erika Yamasaki at Olympics.com
• Erika Yamasaki at Olympedia
• Erika Yamasaki at the Australian Olympic Committee
• Erika Yamasaki at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
• Erika Yamasaki at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games (archived)
• Erika Yamasaki at Commonwealth Games Australia