Maritz, representing the University of Pretoria, put in a dominant performance in front of a home crowd in the men’s under-120 kilogram competition as he lifted a combined weight of 800kg.

This put him way in front of his rivals at the top of the podium, with Mark Faulkner of Northumbria University coming second a further 192.5kg behind Maritz.

Donald Man of Queen Mary’s University London finished third on 542.5kg.

Ho, a member of the Rutgers University team, also hit top form at the competition as she topped the women’s under-47kg category with a combined lift of 295kg.

Arisera Tongchaitanawutti from University College London came second, 65kg behind Ho, while Priyanka Malhotra, another Rutgers lifter, came third.

Ohio State University took home the most golds from the competition with four heading backing to their campus in the United States.

Tyler Coleman won the men’s under-59kg title while Daniel Misencik topped the under-105kg podium.

They also tasted success in two women’s categories as Katie Malas and Heidi Lewis won the under-57kg and over-84kg crowns.

Alongside Maritz’s gold, the University of Pretoria picked up another two titles.

Marcel Vorster was best in the men’s under-66kg contest and Rouxchelle Roux won in the women’s under-52kg weight division.