Palace lifters in Olympics wait (From Kingston Guardian)

Palace lifters in Olympics wait

2:07pm Thursday 31st May 2012 in Sport By Graham Moody, Sports Reporter

Crystal Palace weightlifters Halil Zorba and Jo Calvino became British champions last weekend as they made their finals bids for Olympic Games selection.

Zorba won the men’s 77kg category after his main rival Jack Oliver failed to complete a lift in the snatch, while British record holder Calvino won the women’s 48kg category.

Zorba’s 292kg total, 122kg in the snatch and 170kg in the clean and jerk, saw him lift the more than the 291kg Olympic B standard, which was the minimum needed to be considered for one of three host nation places for men.

Competition is fierce for those places with four men in total lifting the B standards at the Championship, while Oliver has achieved it on numerous occasions before.

There are only two host nations places for women and, with Zoe Smith expected to take one, Calvino is favourite for the other after surpassing her previous British record with a 153kg total – lifting 65kg in the snatch and 88kg in the clean and jerk – better than the 150kg B standard.

Another Crystal Palace athlete vying for one of those places is Emily Godley, who lifted the 182kg B standard as she finished second in the 63kg category with a total of 182kg, lifting 80kg in the snatch and 102kg in the clean and jerk.

She finished second to Smith who all but rubberstamped selection with an A standard 211kg total.

The team is expected to be announced on June 11.