USQ hosts 2008 Queensland Weightlifting Championships
Olympic and Commonwealth Games champions will be amongst the hopeful competitors at the 2008 Queensland Weightlifting Championships to be held at The University of Southern Queensland's (USQ) Springfield campus on Saturday, 6 September.
2008 Beijing Olympian Damon Kelly will compete at the event alongside USQ Weightlifting Club members and other competitors looking to secure a spot in the Queensland Team.
Event organiser and competitor Craig Wegert said the entry list had been released and it looked good for a battle in the 77kg class for men.
'The battle will be between Leith Walsh of USQ Weightlifting Club (Springfield), Cobba Mooney of Gunmaree Weightlifting Club (Mt Isa) and Bowen Stuart of the Toowoomba Weightlifting Association.' Craig said.
'Watching Leith in training this week, he seems primed and pumped for hitting some new Personal Bests on the platform which should see him in good position to bring home the USQ Weightlifting Clubs first Weightlifting Men's State Championship medal ever.
'All of these guys are very close in weights lifted and totals and all will be fighting hard for a medal.'
USQ Weightlifting had three lifters qualify for the event, Marcus Slatter, Leith Walsh and Craig himself.
'Unfortunately Marcus had to pull out of the competition due to work and travel commitments which was a shame as he was a real medal chance,' Craig said.
'If I have enough energy left in the tank after organising and setting up the event, I will see if I can fire up enough to give 2008 Olympian Damon Kelly somebody to lift against.
'We may even see Damon, who is still in Olympic form make an attempt at breaking the long standing Australian Super Heavy Weight Clean and Jerk record of 228kg.
'While I don't expect to win against Damon, I should have a real battle on my hands for the Queensland 105+kg Class for Men (Super Heavy Weights) Silver Medal.
'I will be up against Australian Junior Champion, Luke Gardener from the Cougars Weightlifting Club at Chandler, Brisbane and will have to reach down deep and pull out some big lifts to hold my own against this young competitor.
'Other great battles should be between 69kg class for men Jordan Hardy (Cougars) and Nathan Kahi (Cougars) two Juniors jousting it out for a Australian Junior spot under the watchful eye of Mike Keelan, Australian Weightlifting's High Performance Manager. There are only 4 kilograms between them.'
Craig said he also expected to see a raging battle in the women's overall title between 2000 Olympian Amanda Phillips (Cougars), up and coming Toowoomba lifter Davina Hughes and 2006 Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist Erika Yamasaki (Brisbane).
'2008 Olympian Deborah Lovely will also attend to meet and greet the fans. Deb has just returned to Australia from Beijing so she hasn't had time to prepare to lift.
'All in all this has been a very intense and exciting week for Queensland and Ipswich weightlifting as we lead up to a showcase of Queensland's and Australia's great Weightlifters.'
Times on Saturday will follow a new format to allow more spectators to see the lifting:
Group 1
56kg Men's to 85kg Men's - Weigh In: 1.00pm to 2.00pm - Start Lifting at 3.00pm.
Group 2
All Queensland Women's - Weigh In: 3.00pm to 4.00pm - Start Lifting at 5.00pm.
Group 3
94kg Men's to 105+kg Men's - Weigh In: 5.00pm to 6.00pm - Start Lifting at 7.00pm.
What: 2008 Queensland Weightlifting Championships
Where: USQ Springfield Auditorium, Sinnathamby Blvd Springfield Central
Time: Weightlifting begins from 3pm, entry for spectators is free
Media are invited to attend.
For further information on joining USQ gym phone +61 7 3470 4100 and for more information about the USQ Weightlifting Club email Craig at USQweightlifting@hotmail.com .
Media Contact: Jo-Ann Sparrow, USQ Media, +61 7 3470 4119 or 0428 102 979
Photo courtesy Miles Wydall