American Open 2016

From December 8^th through the 11^th athletes, coaches, and spectators descended upon Orlando Florida for the 2016 American Open Championships. This meet would prove to be very eventful with many records falling over the course of the 4-day meet. VIRUS was well represented on all three of the competition platforms as many athletes were seen wearing the Elevate 2.0 singlet. Below are a few of the athletes who crushed it at the AO while rocking Virus.

  

On the men’s side Andrew Cheung won the 56kg weight class with his 95kg/127kg/322 kg performance.

 

In the 77kg weight class, Yadier Nunez Quesada had a huge 151kg/187kg/338kg performance to sweep gold.

 

Anthony Pomponio (85kg), snatched 150kg to win gold over James Tatum in the snatch. But James would go 148kg/178kg, totaling 326kg to win gold in the clean and jerk and the total for the 85’s.

 

In the 94kg weight class, Nathan Damron had a killer day, setting new Jr. American Records in the snatch (160kg), clean and jerk (197kg), and total (357kg), earning silver in each category. Only Vteam athlete Colin Burns would prove to top that performance by setting a new Sr. American Record in the snatch (173kg) on his way to clean and jerking 198kg and totaling 371kg to sweep golds in the weight class.

 

In the 105kg weight class, Joshua Jii snatched 157kg to earn himself a bronze medal in that portion of the session. Asnier Jimenez had a solid performance going 160kg and 186kg for a 346kg total, which would be good enough for silvers across the board. But it was Wes Kitts who stole the show, by snatching 160kg on his first attempt, missing 168kg on his second, and then going straight to 174kg and making it to set a new Sr. American Record which had been previously held by Ian Wilson. Kitts would go on to clean and jerk 200kg and total 374kg, taking 3 golds in the weight class.

The men weren’t the only ones setting records and winning medals in Virus singlets. A few women had outstanding performances as well, including the entire Juggernaut Women’s Team, who took home the Team Championship for the women.

 

Meagan Seegert, who still has two years left as a junior lifter, broke her own Jr. American Record by snatching 74kg. That lift would earn her bronze in the snatch for the 48kg weight class. Alyssa Ritchey earned silver in the weight class with a solid 75/95/170kg performance.

 

Jourdan Delacruz (53kg) snatched 77kg, clean and jerked 97kg, and totaled 174kg to take silver in her weight class. Only Courtney Bachelor could top that performance. She swept gold in the weight class with her 83kg/100kg/183kg performance.

 

 

Quiana “Chuckie” Welch set a strong tone for the new 90kg women’s weight class. She hit 100kg for gold in the snatch, 106kg for silver in the clean and jerk, and 206kg in the total for overall gold in the weight class.

 

Be sure to tag us on social media if you were rocking your Virus gear during the AO!