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AN Australian weightlifting team leader has declared Bendigo’s Troy Hewkins a solid chance of making the national team for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
Martin Leach, who is also from Bendigo, was earlier this year appointed as the Australian team manager for next year’s games on the Gold Coast, his sixth involvement with the Commonwealth Games team.
He was in Canberra on the weekend, where Hewkins and other Commonwealth Games hopefuls went through their paces at a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.
The camp was the final preparation ahead of the Commonwealth and Oceania Weightlighting Championships, to be held on the Gold Coast early next month.
Leach, who previously competed at world and Commonwealth championships level, said the championships would be a test event for next year’s games venue.
He said it was also a chance to impress games selectors.
"Troy has been working really hard to fulfill his dream of representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games next year" Leach said.
“He has a really good chance of making the team.
“The final selection trials will be in Sydney in December and he is definitely a good prospect.”
Hewkins narrowly missed a spot on the Commonwealth Games team for Scotland in 2014.
The then 27-year-old put himself into contention by winning the 85kg division at the 2013 Australian Weightlifting Championships in Brisbane.