New Zealand weightlifter Cameron McTaggart has finished sixth at the Commonwealth Games with a combined weight of 303kg in the men's 81kg weightlifting final on Monday evening.
After a promising start in the snatch, two failed attempts in the clean and jerk hurt the Kiwis chances of chasing a medal.
"There's mixed emotions," McTaggart told 1News.
"I'm proud of myself but it's been a tough lead up - I've had a few bumps along the way but you know, we're on to the next one."
McTaggart had to wait some time to make his first snatch attempt at the National Event Centre on Monday evening as other competitors made lighter attempts before him - as well as a delay due to technical difficulties with officials - but when he took to the stage for 135kg in his first appearance, he nailed it.
With four of the 12 competitors already completing their three snatch attempts, McTaggart returned for his second effort at 138kg,
The 24-year-old had an initial pause after hoisting the bar over his head but recovered to pull off the lift and was rewarded with a burst of applause from the lively Birmingham crowd.
Tactics then started to come in to play as the field looked to get the absolute most out of their final snatch attempts - a majority of which went for, but failed to lift, 140kg.
McTaggart waited for the bar to be 1kg heavier but it proved to be too much so he had to settled for his clean 138kg lift which had him sitting sixth heading into the clean and jerk, 2kgs off a podium spot.
After some down time backstage before making his first attempt, McTaggart came out in his first clean and jerk effort at 165kg and comfortably got himself on the board to briefly lead the competition.
He then returned shortly later for a 170kg attempt but was unsuccessful with the first part of the lift - an issue that plagued him again in his third and final attempt.
As a result, McTaggart finished sixth with England's Chris Murray taking the gold in a Games record combined weight of 325kg - two kilos ahead of a gutted Kyle Bruce from Australia.
McTaggart told 1News after the event a "rough warm up" in the snatch had hurt his chances.
"The plan was to open at 137 [kg] or 140 because my base numbers in training are around 146," he said.
"I was hoping to get towards that but we had to take it a bit lower after a rough warm up and then after that, there's only so much you can convince yourself that you feel good until you take a big weight off the floor and it tells you it's not happening!
"But it's all good, I'm proud of myself."
McTaggart said looking forward, after debuting four years ago with a seventh placed finish in the same event, he plans to go up a weight class to the men's 89kg class.
In the mean time though, he looks forward to supporting his sister Olivia in the women's pole vault later this week.
"I'm definitely going to be there tomorrow," he said with a grin.
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