Juliana Arko
Ghana’s former weightlifting idol, Juliana Arko, demonstrated brilliance in the powerlifting world in Canada over the weekend after clinching four gold medals.
The gifted athlete was reported to have performed spiritedly at the 8th Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship 2019 at the Holiday Inn Hotel in St. John’s Newfoundland on her way to glory.
The 21-year-old Ghanaian shook the auditorium as she picked medals in the squatting, dead-lift and bench press phases of the prestigious competition after nine brave attempts.
Indications are that Ms. Arko mushroomed into an instant household name in Canada after endearing herself to the packed auditorium that had some Ghanaians chanting among the crowd.
She said in an interview, “I’m really excited by this feat, which without doubt, is going to serve as the much-needed motivation for me to carve more laurels in the sport.”
The Mankessim-born powerlifter expressed her profound appreciation to the President of the Ghana Powerlifting Federation (GPF), Godwill Joseph Agyeman, for the opportunity to compete with some of the finest athletes in the sport.
In 2013, Ms. Arko won an imposing eight medals at the African Weightlifting Championships held in Casablanca, Morocco.
That breathtaking feat made her the Ghanaian athlete to have won the highest number of medals in a single competition.
Twelve countries ? including hosts Canada, England, USA, Ireland, South Africa and India? took part in the highly competitive event.