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