Your 2018 High School Weightlifting Girls Team Champions… Metro Tech!

Queen Creek High School hosted the State Championship event for the second straight year, and continued to deliver a great competition with fantastic lifting! A huge thanks to Glen Adams and the Queen Creek staff for making this possible.

We also want to thank the Referees and Officials – Tim Baldry, Monte Matheson, Glen Adams, Madison Hildebrandt, Frank Brooks, Eddie Aguirre, Eric Bramwell and all the Loaders and others that helped out. And there were many coaches and parents that helped with the setup and clean-up – We really appreciate the time and effort!

Coach Mario Malaby lead his girls squad of 9 lifters to their first State Title! Coach Malaby was the first High School in Arizona to start a school weightlifting club several years ago, and the time and dedication has paid off. Most of Metro Tech girls sacrifice their lunch hour in order to train as part of the club, and have achieved amazing results with limited time for lifting. Metro Tech hosted its first meet in October, and we look for a great future for Coach Malaby and the Metro Tech Team!

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TEAM RESULTS:

1st Place – Metro Tech – “Arizona’s Strongest High School!”

2nd Place – American Leadership Academy QC

3rd Place – Globe

 

The Meet results are posted HERE
The current AZ High School and USAW Arizona LWC Records, updated with results from the competition are HERE

A few highlights from the Women’s Competition:

First Time Competitors – 10 New Lifters!

Congratulations to following athletes for participating in their first Competition:

• Daisy Hansen
• Paxton Hansen
• Lindsay Brewer
• Kenly Key
• Taylor Winfield
• Cristal Valenzula
• Araceli Cabera
• Victoria Gayton
• Samantha Irish
• Karen Velenzula

They all now have new Competition “Lifetime Bests”, and we look forward to many more Personal Record-setting performances ahead for them!

WOMEN BEST LIFTERS:

Best Lifter – Freshman: – Kale’a Mason, with a new HS State Record snatch of 45kg!

Best Lifter – Sophomore: – Celina Ortega, with a new HS Sophomore Record Clean & Jerl of 52kg!

Best Lifter – Junior: – Peyton Brown, with a new USAW AZ LWC State Record Clean & Jerk of 95kg & Total of 171kg! Finished with an amazing Sinclair of 241.36!

Best Lifter – Senior: – Yuliana Lopez, with a new HS State Record snatch of 51kg and Total of 112!

6-for-6 – Daisy Hansen, Paxton Hansen, Lindsay Brewer, and Samantha Irish, in just their first competition had a perfect 6-for-6 day! Lesly Martinez also goes 6-for-6 on her way to winning the 63kg Class.

New Women’s High School State Records – 21 New Record Lifts!

Kale’a Mason	45	Snatch	53kg	Girls	All-Time
Kale’a Mason	45	Snatch	53kg	Girls	Freshman
Cristal Valenzula	24	Snatch	58kg	Girls	Junior
Cristal Valenzula	27	C&J	58kg	Girls	Junior
Cristal Valenzula	51	Total	58kg	Girls	Junior
Kendal Jones	33	Snatch	58kg	Girls	Freshman
Kendal Jones	45	C&J	58kg	Girls	Freshman
Kendal Jones	78	Total	58kg	Girls	Freshman
Araceli Cabera	33	Snatch	63kg	Girls	Junior
Araceli Cabera	34	C&J	63kg	Girls	Junior
Araceli Cabera	67	Total	63kg	Girls	Junior
Yuliana Lopez	51	Snatch	69kg	Girls	All-Time
Yuliana Lopez	112	Total	69kg	Girls	All-Time
Yuliana Lopez	51	Snatch	69kg	Girls	Senior
Yuliana Lopez	61	C&J	69kg	Girls	Senior
Yuliana Lopez	112	Total	69kg	Girls	Senior
Samantha Irish	26	Snatch	69kg	Girls	Freshman
Samantha Irish	36	C&J	69kg	Girls	Freshman
Samantha Irish	62	Total	69kg	Girls	Freshman
Karen Valenzula	47	C&J	75kg	Girls	Senior
Celina Ortega	52	C&J	90kg	Girls	Sophomore

 

New Youth USAW AZ LWC State Records – 2 New Record Lifts!

At the end of competition, new USAW AZ LWC records stood as follows:

Peyton Brown (58kg, Youth 16-17) – 95 C&J, 171 Total

 

FOR UPCOMING EVENTS – Please See SCHEDULE

The 2017 year ended on a high note with the 2nd Annual Jingle Barbells Winter Classic & Record Breaker. This meet started last year as a fun High School & Youth developmental meet, and this year added a Record Breaker twist, to provide those athletes moving up age groups the opportunity to set State Records one last time – and the lifters did not disappoint!
A big thank you to Referees and Officials – Tim Baldry, Monte Matheson, Madison Hildebrandt, Frank Brooks, Bo Bramwell, Eddie Aguirre, Eric Bramwell, Kaija Bramwell, Hunter Call, Bailey Call and the ALA Girls Team and all the Loaders and others that helped out. We appreciate the time and effort!

The Meet results are posted HERE
USAW Website results here: https://webpoint.usaweightlifting.org/wp15/Events2/ViewEvt.wp?EventID=73355&isPopup=&Tab=Results
The current USAW Arizona LWC Records, updated with results from the competition are HERE

We had a great competition, with some incredible record-setting performances! A few highlights:

First Time Competitors – 10 New Lifters!

Congratulations to following athletes for participating in their first Competition:

• Sydni Guthrie
• Gianna Martelotta
• Kendal Jones
• Jessie Lammers
• Sergio Waters
• Levi Brooks
• Peyton Cornwell
• WestLee McLeod
• Madison Hildebrandt
• Lucas Miller

 

They all now have new Competition “Lifetime Bests”, and we look forward to many more Personal Record-setting performances ahead for them!

 

WOMEN:
Record Breaker Winners – Leila Cook (1^st), Kaija Bramwell (2nd), Kawena Mason (3rd)

Best Lifters – Kaija Bramwell (1^st), Leila Cook (2nd), Kale’a Mason (3rd)

6-for-6 – Kendal Jones, in her first competition had a perfect 6-for-6 day!
New Women’s State Records – 9 New Record Lifts!
The Competition started out with Kawena Mason breaking the 11 & Under girls 35kg Class C&J Record with a lift of 25kg on her second attempt. Kawena will now set her eyes on the 13 & Under Records!

In the Youth 14-15 age group, 53kg Category, Leila Cook continued on her Record Breaking streak with new Snatch Records of 55kg, 58kg and 61kg, and would go on with a new Clean & Jerk Record of 78kg, and Total Records of 136kg, and 139kg, breaking her previous Record Total from the last Competition by 10kg! Leila finishes off 2017 as the US #3 ranked lifter in the 14-15 53kg class – We are excited about Leila’s future as she moves up into the 16-17 age group!

In her last meet as a Junior Lifter, Kaija Bramwell lifted in the 63kg Class and broke her own Arizona Junior & Senior Women records with a 83kg Snatch, Clean & Jerks of 101kg & 105kg, and Total Records of 184kg & 188kg. Kaija finishes her Junior Career as the US #2 Ranked 58kg & US #3 ranked 63kg Junior lifter, with the 2^nd best all-time snatch (83) and 2^nd best all-time Clean & Jerk (105) in the Junior 58kg Class. The past several years saw her become a University National Champion, 2015 Junior World Team Member, 2016 Junior Pan-Am Team Member, 5-time Junior National Competitor (4-time Medalist), 6-time American Open Competitor (3-time Medalist), and 2-time Senior National Championship Competitor (1-time Medalist). Kaija now moves into the Senior ranks, and has her sights on the upcoming University Nationals in April.

 

At the end of competition, new records stood as follows:

Kawena Mason (35kg, Y11&U) – 25 C&J
Leila Cook (53kg, Y14-15) – 61 Snatch, 78 C&J, 139 Total

Kaija Bramwell (63kg, Junior & Senior) – 83 Snatch, 105 C&J, 188 Total

 

MEN:
Record Breaker Winners – Isaac Aguirre (1^st), Owen Woodford (2nd), WestLee McLeod (3rd)

Best Lifters – Isaac Aguirre (1st), Madison Hildebrandt (2nd), Lucas Miller (3rd)

6-for-6 – Isaac Aguirre

 

New AZ LWC Records – 19 New Record Lifts!
The competition started off with first-time competitor Sergio Waters setting the very first State Records in the 11 & Under / 13 & under 31kg class, followed by 9-year old Levi Brooks doing the same in the 11 & Under 39kg class.

WestLee McLeod would leave his mark on the 11 & Under 69kg+ Class with new records across the board, and Peyton Cornwell becomes Arizona’s first lifter in the Boy’s 13 & Under 69kg+ Class.

Up and coming 13-year old Owen Woodford set a new State Snatch record with his third attempt of 53kg, and also set a New State Record Clean & Jerk of 70kg, and Total of 123kg.

This group of 11 & under and 13 & Under lifters are the new pioneers here in Arizona, and will shape the next generation of Youth lifters over the next few years!

Last, and with dramatic fashion in a perfect 6-for-6 performance, 15-year old Isaac Aguirre broke a 13-year old Snatch record (set in 2004 by Austin Visina) with his third Snatch of 84kg! Isaac would then go on to break his own record in Clean & Jerk with lifts of 103kg & 105kg, also at the same time setting a new State Records in Total of 184kg, 187kg, and finally 189kg. Isaac added 10kg to his previous State Record Total!

 

At the end of competition, new State records stood as follows:

Sergio Waters (31kg, Y11&U) – 9 Snatch, 9 C&J, 18 Total

Levi Brooks (39kg, Y11&U) – 14 Snatch, 18 C&J, 32 Total

WestLee McLeod (69kg+, Y11&U) – 23 Snatch, 34 C&J, 57 Total

Peyton Cornwell (69kg+, Y13&U) – 24 Snatch, 34 C&J, 58 Total

Owen Woodford (62kg, Y13&U) – 53 Snatch, 70 C&J, 123 Total
Isaac Aguirre (69kg, Y14-15) – 84 Snatch, 105 C&J, 189 Total

NATIONAL QUALIFIERS:

Congratulations to the Junior & Youth National qualifiers, and we wish them the best as they prepare for the National stage!

Junior National Qualifiers (Women) – Leila Cook
Youth National Qualifiers (Women) – Kawena Mason, Kale’a Mason, Leila Cook
Youth National Qualifiers (Men) – Mark Brooks, Isaac Aguirre

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE & EVENTS:

NOTE – More info & registration at  SCHEDULE

 

SAT 1/20/18 – Youth/Junior/Open/Masters & Grand Canyon State Games (Queen Creek HS)

USAW Sanctioned Weightlifting Competition

Details: A USAW Sanctioned Open Meet that will be a part of the 2018 Winter Grand Canyon State Games also be High School Invitational Meet (High School Divisions) and Last Chance High School State Qualifier.

 

SAT 2/3/18 (Tentative) – Youth/Junior/Open/Masters & Arizona High School State Championship (Location TBD)

USAW Sanctioned Weightlifting Competition

Details: A USAW Sanctioned Open Meet that will be also be the 2018 Arizona High School State Championship (High School Team & Individual Divisions).

 

SAT 5/19/18 – Team Arizona Open & Youth National Qualifier

USAW Sanctioned Weightlifting Competition

Details: A USAW Sanctioned Open Meet that will be also be the Last Chance to Qualify for the 2018 USAW Youth Nationals (held June 14-17 in Grand Rapids, Michigan).

 

SAT 8/11/18 – 2018 Southwest Cup – Battle of the Southwest States!

Regional Championship & American Open 3 ( in Las Vegas, NV) Last Chance Qualifier

USAW Sanctioned Weightlifting Competition

Details: A USAW Sanctioned Open Meet that serves as a head-to-head competition for the Western States and best Weightlifting Clubs. Last year it was held in Utah, and this year Arizona is home to the event! More Details in the Spring!

 

We look forward to seeing you at these and other future events!