Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
IT WAS a memorable return to competition for Nina Juna.
The YOU.C1000 ambassador underwent a left shoulder surgery in February and contested in her first tournament at the Singapore Weightlifting Open 2024 in the first week of November.
Not only did she just contest but she lifted her way to a new national record in the women’s 55kg category.
Brunei’s fittest woman tallied a combined total of 154kg (snatch 65kg and clean & jerk 89kg) to bag the bronze medal at the Fengshan Community Hall.
She bested the snatch record by 7kg and the clean & jerk by 16kg for a total of 23kg.
“After nine months of hard work, rehab, and determination, getting back into a weightlifting competition felt absolutely incredible,” said Nina to BruSports News.
“The road was full of challenges, both physically and mentally but I pushed through.
“Being back on the platform reminded me of how far I’ve come and how much more I can achieve,” he added.
“The journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s made this comeback even sweeter placing third in the competition.
“On top of that, I successfully cut weight and moved from 64kg to 55kg, all through proper nutrition and recovery,” continued the 33-year-old.
Nina also thanked all those who made it possible for her new achievement and is now looking ahead to the IWF World Weightlifting Championships 2024 in Bahrain from December 6-15.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of my coaches, nutritionist, teammates, and everyone who believed in me through the tough times and this is just the beginning,” said the national weightlifter.
“I’m back to the grind and preparing for next competition with the World Championships. I will do my best,” she concluded.
