N.Z. weight-lifters impress at Oceania

Press, 5 August 1988, Page 17

N.Z. weight-lifters impress at Oceania

PA Wellington New Zealand’s three-strong weight-lifting team returned from the Oceania championships in Tahiti this week with a medal each, the team manager-coach Mr Garry Marshall, said. Describing the championships as “very successful,” Mr Marshall said the squad brought home one gold medal and two silver. The junior Christchurch’ weightlifter, Eddie Keene, won the 75kg class with a total lift of 232 kg, marginally under his all-time best of 235 kg. "Eddie won as a result of some very good lifting on his part,” Mr Marshall said. Keene led by 10kg at the end of the snatch, with two

other lifters threatening on 100 kg to his 11 Okg, but did not perform as well in the clean and jerk. "He was cagey enough to get himself lifting 122 kg, which we thought was enough to win. It was, but only just,” Mr Marshall said. The team’s first silver medal went to the Auck lander. Rod Banks, in the 90kg class, when he lifted a personal best of 252.5 kg. Banks was well-beaten by the Australian junior, Harvey Goodman, of Melbourne, who Mr Marshall said looked likely to be one of the star weight-lifting competitors of the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games. Goodman lifted 350 kg, setting records in the snatch,

clean and jerk, and total. In the super heavyweight division for 110 kg plus, Fotu lopu (Auckland) took silver with a total of 295 kg, 20kg off his best of 315 kg. Mr Marshall said lopu was also well beaten on the day, but put on a "courageous performance” to finish second after injuring his wrist in training while in Tahiti. The Australian, Nick Cimino, was a comfortable winner on 357.5 kg, skg below the Australian qualifying target for the Seoul Olympics. “The team did very well, considering the fact that it was only selected to go with five or six days until the competition,” Mr Marshall said.