CRUNCH time is fast approaching for Bendigo’s Commonwealth Games weightlifting aspirant Troy Hewkins.
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The 31-year-old will be in Sydney this Sunday to contest the final Australian weightlifting team nomination trials.
He is hoping to realise a more than decade-long ambition of representing his country at the Commonwealth Games.
Hewkins, who competes in the 85kg weight division, is currently ranked second in Australia.
He faces a tough task qualifying for the Gold Coast games, competing in undoubtedly the toughest category in Australian men’s weightlifting.
“There are five athletes all within 6kg of each other vying for just one spot,” said Commonwealth Games weightlifting team leader and fellow Bendigonian Martin Leach.
“But Troy has shown his maturity in recent competitions and is a good chance of making the team”
Hewkins, who is lining up for his third Commonwealth Games nomination trials, admitted to plenty of nerves ahead of Sunday.
“It’s something that I’ve done a few times, though I’ve never quite made the team, but it’s always been a dream,” he said.
“Last time I was only a whisper away from making the team, so I have always believed I can do it, it’s just trying to make it happen.
“It’s getting more and more competitive the longer I let it go; I’m getting older and it’s getting harder.”
Hewkins rated his preparation for the 2018 games trials as similar to that for the 2014 games in Glasgow, with a few variances.
“I was close to making the team but I couldn’t quite do what I needed to do on the day, that’s part of the sport.
“This time I am ranked second in Australia – you have to be ranked first – but I am only four kilos behind the lifter ranked number one.
“Obviously it depends on what everyone does, but if others don’t improve and I do what I know I can, then I can make the team.
“It’s not a ‘no chance in hell’ situation, but it will be tough.”
Fellow Victorian Boris Elesin will enter the trials ranked number one with a division-best total of 300kg, just 4kg ahead of Hewkins’ 2017 best.
Queensland’s Beau Garrett and Malek Chamoun, from New South Wales, have year best totals of 295kg.
Hewkins has a previous career best total of 300kg, achieved eight years ago.
Australia will send 16 weightlifters to the Gold Coast games, eight male and female, with the team to be announced in January.
Leach, a former national team coach who will be involved with the games team for the sixth time, anticipated the team would win up to five medals.
