Five time New Zealand discus champion, Siositina Hakeai, of Tongan heritage, is eyeing to break the world record in her new sport of heavy weight lifting.

The 27-year-old picked up a national record for lifting 237kgs in her first New Zealand Strongman Series competition in 2019.

She also broke the New Zealand and Oceania women’s deadlift record at 270kgs by the end of 2020.

The women’s world record sits at 290kgs, which Siositina is aiming to equal or beat.

She told Radio New Zealand (RNZ) she only every lifted 260kgs prior to that competition.

“I kind of regret not going [for] 280kgs but touch wood this year I can go for a 290kg world record or maybe even 300kgs.”

Siositina said she had been doing track and field for quite a long time, since she was 12-years-old.

“I started travelling the world at 14 [and] it just got to a point where my love for the sport started fading away,” she said.

“I decided to enter the Strongman Series because I knew I was strong, I just didn’t know how strong, and my love for the sport and lifting heavy just grew ever since.”

Siositina’s parents were not impressed when they found out about her new sport through social media.

“It kind of took a toll on them but then when they saw the potential I had in lifting, they’re a lot more supportive now. Mum’s always checking up to see if my back is all right or if I need extra massages, and dad is just making sure that I’m not overdoing it and I’m not trying to smash it so hard where it’s going to affect me long-term,” she said.

She added that Pacific Islanders were naturally strong, and loves seeing more Pacific Islanders, especially women, taking part in weightlifting sports.

She also hopes to represent Tonga in discus at the next Commonwealth Games, but is not sure what will happen with Covid-19.

“If I can represent New Zealand in lifting and Tonga in track and field, that’s my ideal goal…I don’t know if I can represent both, but that’s definitely something I’m going to be looking into.”