CHFP Weightlifting Brings Large Squad to B&R Open

CHFP Weightlifting arrived to the 5th Annual Black & Red Open with a large squad comprised of 15 team and 5 club members. Hosted by Black & Red Barbell, this year's event was held on July 13 at Tyson's Playground in Vienna, VA.

Used primarily as a train-through meet for many team members, the quality of the performances was outstanding. Nine athletes went a perfect six for six including Ashley Bruce, Elise Caron, James Combs, Liz Korchnak, Brenna McVaney, Clementina Russo, Lauren Stephenson, Evy Voltaire, and Craig Williams.

Elise Caron capped off a 6/6 performance with a 98 kg clean and jerk. All competition photos: David Luk

Among those hitting PRs, Masters athlete Clementina Russo [64 kg] matched her personal best in the snatch with 46 kg and set a new PR in the clean and jerk with 71 kg for a personal best total of 117 kg.

Brenna McVaney [71 kg] established personal bests in the snatch [54 kg] and in the clean and jerk [66 kg] to increase her best total to 120 kg. Brenna also easily surpassed the QT for the 2020 Masters Nationals.

Ashley Bruce [76 kg] picked up two PRs in the snatch and two PRs in the clean and jerk. She finished with a best snatch of 80 kg and a best clean and jerk of 100 kg for a personal best total of 180 kg.

Ashley Bruce (center) finished top of the 76 kg class with a personal best total of 180 kg.

Kieran Bourgious [89 kg] combined a best snatch of 100 kg with a PR clean and jerk of 127 kg to match his personal best total of 227 kg.

Lexi Moylan weighed in just over the 64 kg class limit at 64.05 kg. Lexi was credited with a best snatch of 73 kg and followed that by going 3 for 3 in the clean and jerk (all PR attempts) to finish with a personal best at 93 kg and increased her best total by 5 kg to 166 kg.

Lexi Moylan' finished her day with a PR clean and jerk at 93 kg.

Tom Hopkins [89 kg] went 3/3 in the snatch with a PR lift at 123 kg. He added a 145 kg clean and jerk to increase his personal best total to 268 kg.

Tom Hopkins celebrates his PR snatch at 123 kg.

Ambrea Watts [87+] delivered an outstanding PR performance combining a best snatch of 79 kg with two PR clean and jerks at 108 kg and 111 kg. Ambrea finished with a PR total of 190 kg (+12 kg) and qualification to the American Open Finals in December.

Ambrea Watts set a personal best in the clean and jerk with 111 kg.

In addition to the team's ten placement medals (7 GOLD, 1 SILVER, 2 BRONZE), Elise Caron and Justin Rittenhouse were awarded Best Lifters in the women and men categories, respectively.

Justin Rittenhouse had a best clean and jerk at 170 kg.

Elise [64 kg] made easy and efficient work of all six attempts to finish with best lifts of 78 kg in the snatch and 98 kg in the clean and jerk for a gold medal-winning total of 176 kg.

Justin [96 kg] combined a best snatch of 125 kg with a best clean and jerk of 170 kg to finish with a best total of 295 kg.

Highlights of some of the best lifts at the BROpen.