Weightlifting: Kilmarnock Weightlifting Club host British Championships and Commonwealth trials

Jul 16 2010 by Lizzie Struthers, Kilmarnock Standard

Weightlifting: Kilmarnock weightlifters pick up medals on home turf at British championship

KILMARNOCK Amateur Weightlifting Club hosted the British Senior Championships and Commonwealth trials at the town’s Hunter Centre.

Some 45 lifters competed for titles and to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in India later this year.

Kilmarnock’s six lifters picked up three golds and three silvers.

Killlie teammates Steven McMichael and Dylan Scott battled in the 56kg class, with Steven winning by 1kg. Steven snatched 79kg and clean and jerked 100kg to total 178kg for gold. Steven has lifted this title for the past three years and this win was to be his last, as he is retiring from competition. Dylan won the silver.

Craig Carfray, 18, was up against two English lifters in the 69kg class – Chris Chea of Woking and Halil Zorba of Crystal Palace trying to qualify for the Commonwealth Games. Chea missed all his snatches and Zorba failed in all his clean and jerks leaving Craig, with a snatch of 92kg and a clean and jerk of 124kg to total 216kg, to take gold and set a new Scottish Under-18 records.

Georgina Black was the club’s only girl at the competition. Lifting in the 75kg class, she had a poor snatch only getting one with 73kg, but in the clean and jerk she got going and finished with a 96kg jerk for a new Scottish and British Under-23 record. She also set a new personal best and totalled 169kg to win a silver medal.

Graeme Kane, returning from a back injury, competed in the 77kg class. He snatched 115kg and clean and jerked 140kg to total 225kg for a silver medal. Graeme has already met the Games standard for Delhi.

Last but by no means least was Peter Kirkbride lifting in the 94kg class. Peter snatched 145kg and clean and jerked 185kg to total 330kg to win the gold.

Peter was named the best male lifter of the day.

Chick Hamilton, KAWLC’s head coach, said: “This was a very busy day at the Hunter Centre and, all in all, went great.

“BBC Scotland filmed most of the day as they are doing a small bit on the club.

“All our lifters performed well, especially Craig Carfay, at the age of 18, winning the title was a high point for me.

“The club would like to thank all sponsors that donated money to enable us to run the event, especially Hamilton Tarmac and the Thistle in Hurlford for giving us a free mini bus all weekend and the function suite and food for free.

“We are now looking forward to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and I have been selected as head coach for this in October.”