Manaena (51), an Invercargill department store manager, still weighs 120kg but has turned fat into muscle.
After a year spent trying to lose weight Manaena changed tack and switched to powerlifting, with remarkable results.
Her fitness coach, Brian Jenkins, had photos of powerlifters on the wall and it tempted Manaena to change direction.
"Brian felt that I had the ability to do powerlifting," she said.
"I have never looked back since then."
Her weight class is 84kg and over.
Manaena went into her new sport boots and all and has competed at four world open championships since 2009.
She won a bronze medal in the deadlift in India in 2009, a silver medal in the total in South Africa in 2010 and a gold medal in the deadlift in Prague last year.
Manaena won her second open world championship gold medal when she deadlifted 225kg in Sweden earlier this year.
She also gained silver medals in the bench press (112.5kg), squat (177.5kg) and total (515kg).
She lost the overall gold medal to a Russian lifter.
Manaena holds seven world masters records and surprised pundits by breaking the world open deadlift record at an international event in Melbourne this year. She lifted 235.5kg.
Manaena, who has three adult daughters, was a talented junior athlete in the 100m, shot put and the long jump.
"It was not hard to get into powerlifting," she said.
"Brian took me through all the stages to reach international level."
Manaena usually lifts weights five days each week for 1hr 30min.
She had some good advice for anyone contemplating starting powerlifting.
"Its important to get a good coach, enter the small competitions first and love what you are doing, " she said.
