By JULIE ASH
The country's top weightlifters take their first steps towards qualifying for the Commonwealth Games at the national championships in Auckland on Saturday.
The championships are the first of three major qualifying events this year. The other two are the Oceania championships in October and the world championships the following
month.
"All three are important events, so the end of the year is pretty busy for us," said New Zealand coach Richard Dryden.
The weightlifters have until April next year to reach Commonwealth Games qualifying standards.
Among the competitors at Youthtown are Wellington's Olivia Baker and Auckland's Nigel Avery, New Zealand's only representatives at the Sydney Olympics.
Baker, who placed eighth overall in the over 75kg division at the Olympics, is coming back from injury after undergoing knee surgery this year. She has also been plagued by back problems.
Dryden said he would use the nationals to select squads for the Oceania and world championships.
"Realistically the people that are ranked in the top 20 to 30 in the world will attend the world champs. At this stage that just means Nigel and Olivia but we will be looking at competitors for the Oceanias.
"The Oceanias are in Auckland, so I'd anticipate we'll have a full team present."
A number of promising lifters were coming through but "we are a bit light in terms of woman lifters."
Women's weightlifting will make its Commonwealth Games debut in Manchester next year.
