Kelly among Aussie weightlifting team

Veterans Damon Kelly and Deborah Acason are in a 16-strong Australian weightlifting team to compete at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Australian weightlifter Damon Kelly

Triple medallist Damon Kelly has been picked in Australia's Commonwealth Games weightlifting team. (AAP)

His appetite is still as healthy as ever but Australian weightlifter Damon Kelly reckons a 20-year hunger may finally be satisfied if he secures Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold.

Apart from his next meal, triple medallist Kelly has his fourth Commonwealth Games in his sights after being named among a 16-strong national weightlifting team for the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

The affable 34-year-old is not showing any signs of slowing down -- especially at the dinner table.

The super heavyweight lifter eats roughly every two hours to fuel his 147kg frame -- that's six meals a day, plus snacks.

But the bearded colossus admitted it would be tempting to finally end his tough training regime and retire from his beloved sport if he topped the Gold Coast podium in April.

"It would be very tempting," he said.

"It has been difficult the last couple of years going back to full-time work and now I have got a young family with three boys, trying to juggle training and them.

"But never say never. We will see how the body goes the next 10 weeks with training but it could be my last Commonwealth Games."

Until then, the Kelly household's grocery bill will continue to sky rocket.

"We go grocery shopping twice a week, once is never enough," Kelly said.

"Our training definitely increases the appetite.

"It's six meals a day with snacks on top of that.

"I have never sat down and added it all up (what he consumes a week) - it would probably do my head in.

"Ignorance is bliss. I will just keep snacking."

Kelly has claimed medals at his three previous Commonwealth Games campaigns -- 2006 Melbourne silver, 2010 Delhi gold and Glasgow bronze in 2014.

He heads a national team also boasting five-time Games medallist Deborah Acason and nine Commonwealth Games debutants including Tia-Clair Toomey, crowned "World's Fittest Woman" at the 2017 CrossFit Games.

Acason, a gold medallist at the 2006 Games, will compete at her fifth Commonwealth Games at April's Gold Coast event.

AUSTRALIA'S WEIGHTLIFTING TEAM FOR GOLD COAST COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Women: Alyce Stephenson (48kg category), Tegan Napper (53kg), Tia-Clair Toomey (58kg), Seen Lee (63kg), Philippa Malone (69kg), Stephanie Davies (75kg), Kaitlyn Fassina (90kg), Deborah Acason (+90kg).

Men: Phillip Liao (56kg), Vannara Be (62kg), Brandon Wakeling (69kg), Francois Etoundi (77kg), Boris Elesin (85kg), Simplice Ribouem (94kg), Ridge Barredo (105kg), Damon Kelly (+105kg).


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Source: AAP



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