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.

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