Weightlifting: Women to lift at Olympics

Women's weightlifting will be introduced to the Olympics in Sydney - and New Zealand will be there.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has confirmed Olivia Baker, of Wellington, as its sole women's representative.

Baker, a former junior world recordholder, will compete in the 75kg-plus class.

The only other New Zealand weightlifter in Sydney will be Nigel Avery in the 105kg-plus men's class.

New Zealand qualified for the two spots after an impressive teams display at the Oceania championships in Nauru. The men's team were second; the women's third.

Baker ranks as the top lifter in Oceania - a medal at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games should be a formality and, as a matter of course, she broke her New Zealand record for the snatch - now 100.5kg - at the North Island championships this month.

She holds the New Zealand and Oceania record for the combined snatch and clean and jerk, 225kg, hoisted at last year's world championships in Athens.

Baker is ranked 12th in the world and wants a personal best and a top-10 finish in Sydney.

China's world record holder, Ding Meiyuan, has lifted 280kg. Pole Agata Wrobel is the other pacesetter.

- NZPA

The Olympics – a Herald series

Official Sydney 2000 web site