2019 Pan American Weightlifting Championships Recap

 

The 2019 Pan American Weightlifting Championships came to an end this past week, wrapping up a week of heavy lifting amongst some of the strongest in the Pan American Countries. The Pan American Championships is an important competition for U.S. athletes because it is the second of four senior gold-level qualifying events for Tokyo 2020 and is the first gold-level qualifying event of this calendar year. Multiple Vteam athletes partook in and performed exceptionally well in this year's Pan Americans, taking home medals and championship titles.

Alyssa Ritchey swept gold and set four new American records. Ending with a perfect six for six day, she snatched 83kg and clean and jerk 107kg to total 190kg total. She broke two Pan American records in the clean and jerk and total.

Vteam athlete Jourdan Delacruz won the title of Pan American Champion in the 55kg weight class. She matched her 91kg American Record to earn a bronze medal in the snatch. Jourdan then went three for three in the clean and jerk, making 110kg, 113kg then 116kg. Her 116kg lift broke the American record in the clean and jerk. Her 207kg total was also an American record and secured her Pan American title.

Jordan Cantrell hit his 153kg opening snatch attempt to secure silver in the lift. He then made a 190kg clean and jerk, matching his best lift at the 2018 World Championships and totaling 343kg. Jordan took silver all around. 

VTeam athlete Jenny Arthur won silver in the 76kg weight category. On her last attempt, Jenny matched the American record with a 108kg snatch. She then made 132kg and 135kg in the clean and jerk. Jenny's 243kg total secured a second-place finish.

 

D'Angelo Osorio also took home a Pan American Championship title. He made a 159kg snatch on his third attempt to secure gold. He then went on to go three for three in the clean and jerk, making 195kg, 200kg, and 205kg. D'Angelo sweeps gold all around with a 364kg total.  

Wes Kitts defended his Pan American Champion title, with a 176kg snatch to take silver in the snatch. Wes then went three for three on clean and jerk, jumping to 223kg, on his third attempt, to break the Pan American and American clean and jerk and total records. He won gold in the total and clean and jerk.