Nationals in Otago attract 115 lifters

Amanda Gould trains at the Otago Weightlifting clubrooms in Dunedin yesterday. Photo: Christine O'Connor

There will be plenty of grunts, clean and jerks and brute power when Dunedin plays host to the national weightlifting championships at the Edgar Centre next weekend.

The championships, which start next Friday, have attracted 115 competitors from all over New Zealand.

It is the first time the championships will have taken place in Dunedin for more than 40 years and it will be a chance for Otago lifters to make an impact on the national stage.

Commonwealth Games lifters Richie Patterson and Tracey Lambrechs, both from Auckland, have entered and are expected to display some top form.

Otago Weightlifting manager Shanaya Allan said it was a spectacular sport in which lifters displayed their full emotions.Competitors gave their all and beyond to lift to their absolute capacity.

Entry to the event was free to the event. A platform would be set up in the More FM Arena at the Edgar Centre.

The split in competitors between males and females is about 50-50.

Ten lifters from Otago will take part with some of them in contention for medals.

Ethan Brocas is competing in the men’s 105kg-plus division and Callan Helms in the men’s 105kg event . Robert Jordan is in the men’s 94kg grade.

Josh Homersham is competing in the junior and senior men’s 85kg grade while both Owen Webb and Jiro Ishida will line up in the men’s 65kg grade.

Savannah Rose Corbett is a starter in the women’s 90kg-plus grade and Nikita Parker will start in the women’s 69kg junior grade.

Amanda Gould and Leigh Martel will both line up in the women’s 63kg grade.