10 Aug 2010

Russian born weightlifter named in Commonwealth Games team

5:47 pm on 10 August 2010

Russian-born Stanislav Chalaev has been selected as a member of the seven strong weightlifting team to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.

Chalaev, who's 24, moved to New Zealand 12 years ago and took up weightlifting to connect with his homeland.

He finished third in the 2009 Commonwealth Championships and second at this year's Oceania Championships.

The team also includes Olympians Mark Spooner and Richard Patterson, Kate Howard, who is heading for her third Commonwealth Games in the under 53kg category and Tracey Lambrechs, a strong super-heavyweight contender.

The others are 19-year-old Lou Guinares, (under 56kg) and Cameron Sinclair, (under 62kg).