Commonwealth hopefuls summoned to Gauteng Championships

He says the domestic competition will serve lifters vying for a spot at the Commonwealth event in India later this year as an opportunity to assess their strengths and weaknesses while there’s ample time. 

Katzav is fresh from organising the level one weightlifting tournament early last month where beginners explored their interest in the sport. 

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The 31-year-old has summoned more to participate this weekend to not only inspire but also target some personal bests. 

"The Gauteng Champs is a platform for any athlete in Gauteng to show what they're made of and what they've already achieved. This is potentially where rising athletes can get recognised," Katzav pointed out.

Katzav has made sure to tick all the boxes required should SA records be broken, as is typically the case at most of the regional competitions. 

"Gauteng Champs is a level three competition, so all records can be broken in this competition. There will be proper procedures and judges put into place," explained the weightlifting coach.

There are a few athletes Katzav believes are ones to watch both on Saturday and Sunday, one of them being Cheyenne Smith. 

"I haven't seen every lifter in action, but there are a few youngsters in the junior divisions that are coming to the fore, like Cheyenne Smith, who did go to Mauritius recently to obtain a bronze medal in the snatch event," said Katzav.

The coach will become a competitor too at the Gauteng Championships as he continues to chase his dream to be part of the Commonwealth event in India and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year.