The wait is over and the weight will be piling on for 10 Otago athletes in the New Zealand powerlifting team in Auckland today.
The 10 Otago lifters are part of a New Zealand team numbering more than 100 which will take part in the Commonwealth and Oceania Powerlifting Championships at the Vodafone Events Centre which start today and run through to Sunday.
New Zealand team manager Marie Soffe, of Dunedin, said Andy Mahon, lifting in the open 105kg category, and Bruce Park (76), lifting in the masters four 66kg category, were the region's brightest hopes of bringing home gold.
''Fingers crossed, we'll have a few surprises,'' Soffe said.
''A lot of them are ranked second and third, so if the No 1 has a bad day, they could pick up gold.''
The powerlifters had qualified for the championships, which feature more than 5000 lifters from 14 countries, through the national championships where they had to finish in the top three and then gain selection in the squad.
Many lifters will compete across several categories, with three-lift and bench press categories split in to equipped and unequipped sections.
Soffe said the New Zealand team was looking forward to competing at home.
''It's not often we have an international hosted in New Zealand. The Commonwealths were last held here in 2007.''
Otago lifters
In the NZ team
Abigail Maynard (junior 72kg), Steve Lamb (open 105kg), Sylvia Clarkson (masters three 63kg), Sarah Simpson (junior 52kg), Matt Gardyne (open 83kg), Ashley Templeton (junior 63kg), Bronwyn Stevens (open 63kg), Cameron Andrews (subjunior 83kg), Bruce Park (masters four 66kg), Andy Mahon (open 105kg).
