First weightlifting gold for New Zealand

03 August 2002

New Zealand’s Avery won the first weightlifting medals for his country in the 105kg competition with two gold medals and one silver medal.

Nigel Avery lifts for gold

Nigel Avery had to give way to England’s Giles Greenwood in the snatch section, but he came storming back to win the clean & jerk and the overall, each time setting Commonwealth records.

For 34-year-old Avery, it was a huge improvement on his previous best of two bronze medals at the1998 Games.

In the snatch, Greenwood clinched the gold with a lift of 180kg at his final attempt. Avery reached 175kg on his second lift but failed his attempt at 180kg. Chris Rae (AUS) won the bronze, also on 175kg, but had to concede bodyweight advantage to Avery.

In the clean & jerk, Greenwood peaked at 207.5kg for a bronze with a majority verdict on his last lift, but he was still better rewarded than in the Kuala Lumpur Games when he won a silver and a bronze.

The 22-year-old Australian Hocking had three successful lifts to finish with 210kg. But Avery did not let up in his quest for the gold and his second lift took him to 215 kg — and celebration.

Avery’s gold medal overall total was 390 kg. Greenwood, a 31-year-old Londoner, had 387.5kg for the silver medal while Hocking was the bronze medallist with 380kg.

Info News Service/bn