CHFP Weightlifting Brings Big Squad to AO Finals

The 2018 America Open Finals were on December 8-10 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year, we placed 12 athletes on the Start List, our largest American Open Finals squad, including one team member who was not able to compete due to travel delays. Among the 11 athletes who made it to the platform, two finished in the Top 5; eight athletes secured 17 competition PRs including 5 in the snatch, 6 in the clean and jerk and 6 for total; and two went 6 for 6.

We had three athletes compete on Friday, the first day of competition. Steve Yanda [73 kg] went 6/6 with personal bests in the snatch [104 kg], clean and jerk [135 kg] and for total [239 kg]. Scoreboard: 100-102-104*/130-133-135*/239*

Steve Yanda fights for this 135 kg clean and jerk to finish with a 6 for 6 meet.

Kelly McCabe [59 kg] also delivered PRs across the board with a PR snatch of 74 kg, matching her personal best clean and jerk at 88 kg to set a PR total at 162 kg. Scoreboard: 70-72-74*/86-88-x89/162*

Youth athlete Morgan Bramble [55 kg] put up an awesome performance at the American Open Finals. Morgan was a perfect 6/6 highlighted by PRs in the snatch [64 kg], clean and jerk [83 kg] and for total [147 kg]. Scoreboard: 58-61-64*/78-81-83*/147*

Morgan Bramble goes a perfect 6 for 6 with this PR clean and jerk at 83 kg.

On Saturday we had six athletes take the platform. First up was Youth Athlete Natalie Andrews [64 kg] who delivered a very strong performance. Natty went 5/6 combining a best snatch of 70 kg with a PR clean and jerk at 88 kg to match her best total of 158 kg. Scoreboard: 68-x70-70/83-86-88*/158*

Elise Caron [64 kg] had an outstanding day making 5 of 6 attempts matching her personal best in the snatch of 80 kg with a PR clean and jerk at 99 kg to capture a PR total of 179 kg. Scoreboard: 75-78-80/96-99*-x101*/179*

Marissa Gaab, our final 64 kg class lifter, put up another PR performance with personal bests in the snatch [84 kg], clean and jerk [108 kg] and for total [192 kg] to finish in the 5th place. Scoreboard: x82-82-84*/105-108*-x111*/192*

Marissa Gaab lifts a personal best clean and jerk at 108 kg.

Youth athlete Avery Owens [76 kg] delivered a hard-fought performance highlighted by a PR snatch at 81kg and a best clean and jerk at 101kg for a 182kg total. Scoreboard: 78-81*-x82*/x101-x101-101/182

Fresh off hos medal winning performance at the Phillips & Springer Classic the previous week in Barbados, Onzy Elam II [81 kg] found the travel and additional weight cut too much for this competition. Onzy was not able to get a snatch in and suffered from cramps during the clean and jerks and was not able to post a total.

Justin Rittenhouse lifted in a preliminary session for the 96 kg class on Saturday evening to fulfill pastoral duties for his church on Sunday morning in Virginia. Justin excelled with a 5/6 performance matching his personal best in the snatch [130 kg] and lifting a PR clean and jerk [176 kg] to earn a new PR total [306 kg] to earn a 4th place finish in the 96 kg. Scoreboard: 125-128-130/170-176*-x180*/306*

Justin Rittenhouse lifting a 176 kg personal best clean and jerk.

Our squad's participation in the 2018 American Open Finals came to a close on Sunday morning with the 76 kg A session. Kristin Vdorick, competing in her first national-level competition, finished with a best snatch at 72kg and a best clean and jerk at 94kg. Sam Poeth put up a best snatch of 84kg and unfortunately was not able to get a clean and jerk on the scoreboard.