Southern Powerlifting hosted the event at Ascot Park Hotel.
About 100 lifters from across the country competed in squat, bench press and deadlift, in a range of categories and weight classes over three days.
Southern Powerlifting secretary and meet director Anne Claire said the event attracted the country’s best lifters.
"Qualification standards have gone up ... [so] the lifters that were here were of a really high calibre," Ms Claire said.
National powerlifting records and personal bests were achieved at the event.
Southern Powerlifting Otago member Matt Silvey won the 105kg men’s section.
His 870kg total from a 325kg squat, 192.5kg benchpress and 356.5kg deadlift earned him the gold medal.
"It is the most I've ever totalled, but yes, I'm pretty happy with that performance," Mr Silvey said.
Tearing his thumb during the competition did not prevent the Dunedin man from achieving his "career best" results.
Auckland Powerlifting Association and Getstrength gym member Elize Welgens had only taken up powerlifting three years ago, after making a switch from CrossFit.
The 54-year-old took out the 84kg open women’s section beating her much younger rivals with a bench press best total of 125kg.
"I was aiming for 125 or better so I’m really happy that I got this result today," Mrs Welgens said.
Men’s open 120kg-plus winner Tyler Jahnke outclassed his competitors with a total of 930kg.
The Waikato University PhD student is placed ninth in the world.
Vere Jukes and James Crighton also represented the South Island lifters along with Jessica Reid, who was the only competitor from Invercargill.
The placegetters from the Invercargill competition are now training for the Oceania powerlifting championships in Christchurch in November.
