Weightlifting: Cavit wins two titles in Melbourne

New Zealand's Grant Cavit won a nailbiting contest decided on the last competitive lift in the men's 94kg division at the Commonwealth, Oceania and South Pacific weightlifting championships in Melbourne yesterday.

Cavit was second on bodyweight after the snatch section of the competition with three lifters having achieved 150kg.

Cavit led all the way in the clean and jerk before finishing with a total of 335kg.

He then had to watch while two Australian lifters attempted weights that would have won them the competition.

Both failed, leaving Cavit to celebrate success in the Commonwealth and Oceania championships.

Mark Spooner broke New Zealand 69kg records in the snatch of 122kg, clean and jerk 155kg and the total of 277kg.

Spooner won silver in the Oceania section and bronze in the Commonwealth for his efforts.

Other New Zealand medallists were Richard Patterson, who won silver in the Oceania championship and bronze in the Commonwealth in the 77kg division, while Caleb Symon won bronze in the Oceania 77kg championships.

Keisha-Dean Soffe, competing in the 75kg plus division, finished fourth in both the Commonwealth and Oceania championships with a total of 210kg.

- NZPA