Pan American Weightlifting Championships Blog
Wednesday June 4th, 4:30 pm
After interviewing a number of athletes who had already arrived for the competition today, one thing is for certain; they all are a little chilly. But going beyond that they all are so excited to be in Chicago, many of them visiting the United States for the first time. Asking about their goals and hopes for the tournament I was expecting to hear a lot about technique, scores, etc., but instead I heard about how they all hoped to meet other elite weightlifting athletes from around the world. They didn’t want to size up their competition, but rather create bonds between those in the weightlifting community.
Wednesday June 4th, 7:30 pm
It was a gorgeous night for the Opening Ceremonies of the Pan American Weightlifting Championships at Navy Pier tonight. Many of the athletes showed up for the parade of nations, marching out onto the deck waving their countries flags. Gery Chico, the chairman of the tournament, gave a great speech to the crowd in both English and Spanish, saying “what Chicago has to offer to each and every one of you is home field advantage,” citing the many different neighborhoods around the Chicagoland area. We hope all of them return in 7 years.
DAY 1
Thursday June 5th, 9:30 am
Starting off the competition this morning are the women’s 48 kg (106 lbs) and women’s 53 kg (117 lbs) weight groups. To look at these women, you would never think they were weightlifters because of their small stature, but the power they exude is unbelievable. In their first attempt at the snatch many of these women have already lifted more than their own body weight over their heads, and we are still only watching the B group. It makes me realize that there really is a lot to this sport that people do not realize. Not all weightlifters are 300 hundred pound men.
Thursday June 5th, 10:30 am
It is interesting to see all the different starting rituals that these weightlifters do before attempting their lift. Screams, yells, arm swings, deep breaths, all these things are part of on important moment for each athlete in which they center themselves for the lift ahead. Weightlifting is an extremely individual sport, putting just an athlete against the weight they are lifting. With Group B for both the Women’s 48 kg and 53 kg finished, it is hard to believe that when Group A takes the stage they will be lifting even more weight than these women just have.
Thursday June 5th, 12:00 pm
As we move into the Men’s 56 kg Group A, the stakes are really raised with medals now at stake. In their first snatch lifts, many of these men are almost lifting twice their own body weight, bringing 106 kg over their head. Sergio Armando Rada Rodriguez from Colombia seems to be the comfortable favorite in this event with his Colombia teammates loudly cheering from the stands. Rada Rodriguez finishes the snatch with his highest lift, 112 kg, 7 kg more than the lifter in second place. Rada Rodriguez really makes this sport look easy, walking up to that bar and looking like he lifts it without strain.
Thursday June 5th, 2:00 pm
I have decided that Weightlifting is my new favorite sport. As the men’s 56 kg Group A competition came to an end, the competitors kept raising the weight they were going to lift in order to out lift each other. Just the excitement of watching that athlete, and whether or not they are going to be able to lift that weight, watching the strain on their face as they are doing everything they can. It’s great! The Women’s 48 kg Group A competition has just begun with USA athlete Stacy Suyama attempting the most weight in her first lift. If she is able to lift what she promises this might be a chance for a USA win.
Thursday June 5th, 3:30 pm
Well the Women’s 48 kg Group A competition was certainly dramatic. With 12 women competing it was a big field with a lot of big talent. Stacy Suyama of the USA looked like she was in a position to medal after the Snatch, but collapsed on her first Clean and Jerk lift, having to be lead off of the platform in tears. Suyama was not to be caught down though and returned to try her second and third lifts, but to no avail. Suyama will take home a gold medal though in the Snatch in the U.S. National Championships. The drama didn’t end there though, as the winner of the event turned out to be Carolina Valencia Hernandez from Mexico who actually competed with Group B earlier this morning. Her score was so high, it didn’t even seem like anyone in Group A had a chance to catch her.
Thursday June 5th, 6:30 pm
As we near the end of day 1 of competition at the Pan-American Weightlifting Championships, the Colombians are once again making it look easy. Rusmeris Villar Barbosa who competes in the women’s 53 kg group opened her snatch lifting with 77 kg, almost beating the highest overall lift of all the other girls after their three tries. Villar Barbosa also makes it look easy, lifting the weight straight above her head showing no strain or hesitation. Villar Barbosa ends up winning the snatch with a lift of 82 kg, proving that so far in this tournament the Colombians seem to be the team to beat.
Thursday June 5th, 10:00 pm
Day 1 of the tournament certainly provided some great weightlifting and competition. And if I can watch a sport I have never seen before for 12 hours straight and still like it at the end of the day, then you know it has to be really great. As the weight classes increase throughout the competition, so will the weights themselves. I personally want to see someone lift over 200 kg. I don't know if that is even possible for anyone, but I certainly hope it is.
DAY 3
Saturday June 6th, 11:00 am
So after a day home sick with food poisoning – NOT fun – I am excited to be back at the tournament. I am sad that I missed so much great weightlifting yesterday, but I am sure the best is still to come. We are now waiting for the women’s 69 kg Group A to start. This should prove a great group, as competing is the 4th place finisher from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, Leidy Yessenia Solis Arboleda from Colombia. In my opinion it is hardest to finish 4th at something like the Olympic Games, working so hard just to miss the medals by one spot. She is sure to come out strong today with something to prove. Also competing is Valeria Fontan from Argentina, ranked 11th in the world in 2008 in this weight class.
Saturday June 6th, 12:00 pm
The Women’s 69 kg Group A started out with a bag with 7 good lifts in a row, and only 2 bad lifts in their first 20. In every other group I have seen thus far, there are always a couple lifters who miss on their first lift, but not with these women. No one has missed on their first attempt, and only 2 have on their second. These women came out fighting and it really shows. The announcer even remarked “wow, she made that look like no work at all” after Yesenia Dominguez De La Rosa’s first lift, and I have to agree. It almost seemed like she should have shrugged after, as if to say “whatever!”
Saturday June 6th, 2:00 pm
Once again the Colombians have dominated. Leidy Yessenia Solis Arboleda from Colombia easily won the Women’s 69 kg Group A, with a total score of 235 kg, 11 more kg than the number two finisher. It was an interesting battle though. Solis Arboleda finished fourth in the Summer Olympics in Beijing in the 69 kg class. The second place finisher today also finished 4th in the Summer Olympics in Beijing, but in the 63 kg class. Christine Girard from Canada said that this was a light year for her after the Olympics and she switched her focus to finishing school. She seems to feel just as much at home in the 69 kg weight class as she did in the 63 kg class, finishing second in her first tournament after the switch.
Saturday June 6th, 2:30 pm
Everyone should log on to www.worldsportchicago.com and watch the live streaming video of the tournament. History is being made right now and everyone should be watching. This tournament and this weight class marks the first time a Cuban woman has competed in weightlifting in the United States. Tamara Hernandez Conde is competing for Cuba in the Women’s 75 kg Group A and currently has finished the snatch part of the competition with a lift of 87 kg. This is a perfect example of how sport can bring people from all over the world together to work together and create friendships.
Saturday June 6th, 3:30 pm
The energy in this competition room is certainly exploding as Lidia Valentin Perez from Spain competes. Lidia finished 5th in Beijing with a total score of 250 kg and she is no less impressive here. She is dominating this group, comfortably way ahead of the rest of the group. When I interviewed her before the competition she said she was just really excited to compete and have fun. After just lifting 130 kg in the Clean and Jerk, I would say she is having a lot of fun!
Saturday June 6th, 7:00 pm
The men’s 85 kg Group A competition has started and the USA has a big contender in Kendrick Farris, ranked 11th in the world in 2008. Farris competed in the Beijing Summer Olympic games and finished 8th with a lift total of 362 kg. While Farris does not have the highest starting lift in the Snatch, that is not necessarily indicative of what is to come. While I love every country that is here, it would be nice to see the USA shine just once in this 4 day long tournament.
DAY 4
Sunday June 7th, 11:30 am
The last day of the Pan-American Weightlifting Championships has begun. With these men’s first lift starting between 141 kg and 160 kg (between 311 lbs and 353 lbs) we are sure to see some truly terrific lifts today. That is even more than the weight of my 6’6” father and me combined, so trust me, I am definitely impressed, and that is still only on their FIRST lift. Maybe by their last one we can add in our two dogs and cat too.
Sunday June 7th, 12:30 pm
The USA seems to finally be holding its own in this international competition with four performers doing well in the men’s 105 kg Group A. Cody Gibbs from LSU just completed 6 good lifts in a row, something that has been a rarity in this tournament up until now. Gibbs is obviously an athlete with a lot of confidence in his abilities and one that is able to perform well under pressure. At 24 years old he still has some great years of weightlifting ahead.
Sunday June 7th, 1:00 pm
It was a battle to the end in the men’s 105 kg Group A. Both having lifted 201 kg successfully, Lazaro Jose Lopez Jimenez of Cuba and Angel David Daza Tapia of Venezuela tried to out do each other till then end. After missing 206 kg on his second attempt, Lopez Jimenez left the door open for Daza Tapia to make up ground. Daza Tapia did indeed made his next lift of 206 kg to cheers of excitement, but it wasn’t over yet. In his final attempt, Lopez Jimenez was able to lift 207 kg to win not only the Clean and Jerk but also the entire category.
Sunday June 7th, 3:30 pm
After interviewing Cody Gibbs from the USA and Lazaro Jose Lopez Jimenez the winners of the U.S. National Championship and Pan-American Championships respectively in the men's 105 kg weight class, it was interesting to learn that they are both coming back from leg injuries. Gibbs has had four surgeries already on his knee and is now going to spend the next couple of months after this tournament solely on rehab. Lopez Jimenez is also recovering and was extremely happy with how well he did, although he did say he thought he could do better.
Sunday June 7th, 4:00 pm
It is interesting to watch the women’s 75+ kg group because these women vary in size so much, you would think the playing field wouldn’t be as level as it is in the other weight classes where everyone is usually within one or two pounds of each other. This group is so varied, as there are just not as many athletes in the 75+ group for women and thus they all end up having to compete together, despite their differences. It seems though that this group functions just as all the others, even though the range is from 82 kg (181 lbs) to 169 kg (373 lbs).
Sunday June 7th, 4:30 pm
“130 kg is providing serious elation. I think I should try it someday,” stated the announcer David Colon from Puerto Rico. The last two women to nail their 130 kg lifts were so ecstatic that they started jumping around, screaming, and pumping their fists. One can only guess that this weight must be a personal best for these competitors. To see people so happy with what they have worked so hard for and accomplished is an amazing feeling, and you can’t help but light up yourself.
Sunday June 7th, 6:00 pm
We have reached the last session of the tournament and USA athletes are out in full force. Out of the 12 men competing in the 105+ weight lass, 7 of them are United States athletes. Both Zachary Schluender and Patrick Judge were ranked in 2008 as 39th and 51st in the world, for their weight class, respectively. While Schluender missed all three lifts in the snatch he could still come out with something big in the clean and jerk, and Judge finishes out the snatch with three good lifts and score of 165 kg. A score that is definitely still in the running for a medal in the snatch and will keep in the running for the overall medals as well.
Sunday June 7th, 6:45 pm
There are only 9 more lifts to go in the tournament and we have reached lifts of over 200 kg. As the announcer David Colon keeps saying, “we are in for a show here” and it’s a show we are getting! There are only four competitors left, William Alfredo Solis Arboleda (whose two sisters won their weight classes earlier in the tournament) from Colombia, Yoel Jose Morales Navas from Venezuela, Sertanis Teran Satorre from Cuba, and Patrick Judge from the USA. These 4 men will battle it out to the finish, in a big end to a big tournament.
Sunday June 7th, 7:00 pm
The last two lifts of the tournament were the best two! It came down to Yoel Jose Morales Navas from Venezuela, who in his third attempt was able to lift 216 kg, even holding it on one foot before dropping the weight! The moment then rested on the shoulders of William Alfredo Solis Arboleda from Colombia who missed the 216 kg lift on his second attempt and upped the ante to 217 kg for his third. Solis Arboleda seemed to know the outcome of his left though and came onto the stage and performed. When that buzzer sounded the entire Colombian team was on their feet cheering and screaming. Solis Arboleda had won the gold.
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