American Open Series III makes History

CHFP Weightlifting traveled with three Youth athletes to Las Vegas to compete at the USA Weightlifting American Open Series III. The event took place within the spacious Event Center at the Westgate Casino and Resort. The last of the 2018 AO Series was an event of historic proportions with over 1650 participants lifting on five platforms over four days making it the largest weightlifting event in the sport's history.

AO Series III squad: Morgan Bramble, Avery Owens, Bella Rivera, Coach Cara Heads Slaughter

Each member of the squad came to the competition with specific objectives including setting new personal bests, a qualification to compete at the American Open Finals and a selection to Team USA for Youth Worlds.

Morgan Bramble {55 kg] produced a spectacular performance going a perfect 6 for 6 with personal bests in the snatch [63 kg], clean and jerk [82 kg] and total [145 kg], collecting Bronze in the clean and jerk and for total. Morgan's total also earned qualification to compete at the American Open Finals in December.

Morgan Bramble's 6 for 6 performance included a 63 kg PR snatch.

A newer member to CHFP Weightlifting team, Bella Rivera [59 kg] put up impressive numbers with best lifts of 57 kg in the snatch and 72 kg in the clean and jerk for a solid 129 kg total.

Bella Rivera successfully lifted this 72 kg clean and jerk.

The AO3 was the final qualification event for the 2019 IWF Youth Worlds which will be held in March also to be held at the Westgate Event Center in Las Vegas. Avery Owens [76 kg] to the competition on the Team USA ranking list but understood that she would need to increase her ROBI score to secure a slot on the team. Like a champ, Avery delivered a gutsy performance going 4/6 with best lifts of 80 kg in the snatch and 104 kg in the clean and jerk to earn PRs in the clean and jerk and total, sweeping Gold medals and equally important, secured her selection to Team USA that will compete at the IWF Youth World Championships.

Avery Owens' clean and jerk of 104 kg to secure her selection to Team USA

Overall, a very successful weekend for our Youth squad. USA Weightlifting presented an outstanding weightlifting event. Organizing the largest event in history is no small task and every aspect of the competition was top notch- the venue, the overall production, the flow of the competition, and of course, the incredible lifting!