Off to Peru

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 22

Off to Peru

The Commonwealth 1 Games medallists, A. J. Ebert (Canterbury) and J. R. Bolton (Auckland), win be the leading > weight-lifters in the New' Zealand team which, leaves today for the; world championships at i Lima, Peru, from Sep- 1 tember 17 to 24. They are easily the strong-; est in a team of four which ’ is, by far, the best to repre- ■ sent New Zealand at a world , championship. < Both Ebert and Bolton re- < gard these championships as a stepping stone to the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. For New Zealand weightlifting their performances at Lima are critical, for on their poundage there will depend their rating as candidates for Munich. JUSTIFIED CONFIDENCE Both are confident of a good showing and justifiably so. Bolton recently lifted 4701 b in training as a middle heavy-weight and has pros- ■ pects of a fifth place, or even a bronze. The best previous

New Zealand performance was that of D. C. Oliver, who gained seventh. Ebert is already credited with a rating of seventii in the world in the middleweight press. Both he and his coach, Mr H. Morrison, are confident Ebert will add to his record of steadily improving performances. LIKES CHALLENGE The fierce competition at Peru, recognised as even tougher than the Olympics, should suit Ebert’s temperament. He has repeatedly shown the true mark of a champion by performing better under challenge. The light heavy-weight member of the team, B. Marsden, holds the Commonwealth clean and jerk record, and may be the first lifter in the Commonwealth in this class to exceed 4001 b in this lift. The light-weight, Bruce Cameron (Auckland), third in the trio of New Zealand ; medal winners at Edinburgh, i could also emerge top of the , Commonwealth list in this ,category. i‘ The photograph shows i Ebert in action.