Maiya Maneza

Maiya Maneza

Personal information
Birth name	Майя Салахаровна Манеза
Born	(1985-11-01) November 1, 1985 Tokmok, Kyrgyz SSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.61 m (5 ft 3+1⁄2 in)
Weight	63 kg (139 lb)
Sport
Country	Soviet Union->Kazakhstan
Sport	Weightlifting
Event	63kg
Medal record Women's Weightlifting Representing Kazakhstan Olympic Games 2012 London – 63 kg Asian Games 2010 Guangzhou – 63 kg World Weightlifting Championships 2009 Goyang – 63 kg 2010 Antalya – 63 kg 2011 Paris – 63 kg
Updated on 25 July 2012

Maiya Maneza (born November 1, 1985) is a Kazakhstani weightlifter. She won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 63kg category lifting a combined weight of 245kg. She established a new Olympic Record in the process.

Maiya was born in Tokmok, Kirghiz SSR of Soviet Union in a family of ethnic Dungans. Then her family moved to China. And after living significant part of her life there, she came to Kazakhstan to join its national team in 2007.

According to Chinese media, she emigrated to Kazakhstan in 2008, along with Zulfiya Chinshanlo, with the approval of Hunan sport official, but the subsequent ruckus has led to much speculation and little agreement due to accusations from China and denial from Kazakhstan. She has hairy chest and very strong on plow.