The Pacific’s best weightlifters will be vying for qualification to the upcoming Beijing Olympics at the Oceania Weightlifting Championships in Takapuna, North Shore, Auckland, this weekend.
Australia, Samoa and Nauru are touted as the biggest threats to New Zealand gaining an Olympic berth.
The New Zealanders need to finish in the top three teams at the event to secure a spot at Beijing.
Qualification is decided by teams/country results rather than individual, but individuals can qualify on their own merits through other qualification events recognised by the International Weightlifting Federation and IOC.
The Pacific island lifters from the Micronesian countries are expected to dominate with Australia and Samoa, although Samoa received a blow when their best lifter Niusila Opeloge was banned from the sport after receiving a positive drugs test after participating in the IWF World Champs late last year. Prior, he had won Samoa three gold medals at the South Pacific Games. He is a previous Commonwealth Games bronze medallist from 2002 in Manchester.
The Oceania championships run until March 30.
