STEPHEN Ward has high hopes of making it two golds in a row at the forthcoming Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Stephen was today selected as a member of the 17-strong Team England weightlifting squad for the Games.

The 29-year-old from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire aims to repeat the victory he achieved in the snatch at the 85kg bodyweight class at the 1998 Commonwealths. He also took silvers in the clean & jerk and the overall 85kg category at Kuala Lumpur.

Stephen also won three silvers at the 1994 Commonwealths at Victoria in Canada.

England's weightlifters had a highly successful Games at Kuala Lumpur, winning three golds, 11 silvers and two bronzes.

Manchester 2002 will also be the third Commonwealth Games in a row for Stewart Cruikshank, who won a silver and two bronzes at Victoria in 1994 and a silver at Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

Anthony Arthur, a silver medallist at Kuala Lumpur, has also been selected for Manchester 2002, as well as bronze medallist Karl Grant and Giles Greenwood, who won a silver and a bronze last times around.

The Manchester 2002 Games see the inclusion, for the first time, of a women's weightlifting competition, as well as a bench press powerlifting competition for elite athletes with a disability (EAD).

Anthony Peddle is a strong medal hope in the EAD category. Anthony, who is world record holder in the 48kg bodyweight class, won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, as well as bronzes at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.

Steve Cannon, Chief Executive of the British Weightlifting Association and Team Manager of the England lifting squad at Manchester 2002, said: "We have picked a strong and experienced England lifting squad for Manchester and I am confident we will do well again."

Team England's weightlifting squad for Manchester 2002

(format used is name/date of birth/home/club)

Men

Up to 69kg:Stewart Cruikshank 15.6.70/Nr Marlow, Bucks/Bisham

Abbey NSC

Up to 85kg: Stephen Ward 4.5.73/Wisbech, Cambs/

Peterborough

Anthony Arthur 2.3.73/Bristol/Empire Sports Club

Up to 94kg: David Guest 10.2.78/ Bristol/Empire Sports Club

Karl Grant 21.4.70/Milton Keynes/ Wood Green

Up to 105kg:Gurbinder Cheema 14.11.78/Tipton, W Mids/ Warley

Weightlifting

Delroy McQueen 20.9.75/ Nr Marlow, Bucks/

Bisham Abbey NSC

Over 105kg: Giles Greenwood 26.1.71/London/Wood Green

EAD lifters: Anthony Peddle 11.5.71/Northampton/ Cannons

Health Club

Jason Irving 6.3.74/Gorton, Manchester/

Lapwing Centre, Stockport

Women

Up to 53kg: Joanne Calvino 18.8.80/Croydon/Crystal Palace

Dyana Altenor 9.10.65/Hackney/Bethnal Green

Up to 63kg: Annette Campbell 24.10.61/Hither Green, London/

Crystal Palace

Up to 69kg: Sharon Oakley 7.1.72/Rusden, Northants/trains at home

Juliana Auguste 3.7.65/Newnham, London/ Hackney Community

Up to 75kg: Rachael Clark 6.8.68/Rickmansworth, Herts/

Bisham Abbey NSC

Over 75kg: Margaret Lynes 19.2.63/Hither Green, London/

Woodford Green & Essex Ladies

Ann Hogbin, Chef de Mission of Team England, said: "Weightlifting promises to be a particularly exciting event for the women and elite athletes with a disability in the England team, as they will be making their Commonwealth Games debut at Manchester 2002.

"I would like to welcome all of our lifters to Team England and wish them all a very successful Commonwealth Games."

Weightlifting takes place at the Manchester International Convention Centre in Manchester city centre. The action begins on July 30 and ends on August 3. There are finals on every day of day of weightlifting competition.