The heavyweights came out Saturday night at the Arnold Weightlifting Championship in Columbus, Ohio, vying for one of three slots for the team representing the United States at the Pan Am Games in Toronto, July 10-26.

 

Norik Vardanian secured a slot on the team with a total of 368 kgs. The 94-kg athlete put up a 165-kg snatch and 203-kg clean and jerk. David Garcia, competing in the 105-kg weight class, claimed his place with a 171-kg snatch and 205-kg clean and jerk for a 376-kg total.

 

Earlier in the day, male athletes competing in the 56-, 62-, 69-, 77- and 85-kg weight classes went head to head. Alex Lee, competing in the 69-kg weight class, secured his place on the Pan Am team with a total of 295 kgs.

 

Caine Wilkes had the crowd on its feet after going three for three in his snatch attempts, finishing with a 180-kg lift. Wilkes, competing in the 105+ weight class, put up impressive numbers in the clean and jerk, with a 220-kg lift, but failed to make the Pan Am team after failing his third lift.

 

Current American Record holder Colin Burns, 94-kg weight class, attempted to improve upon his previous snatch record of 169 kgs and almost secured a 170-kg snatch on his second attempt, but judges ruled it a no lift because he failed to control the lift. He failed to make the lift on his third attempt and he had to accept a 165-kg snatch. Burns put up a 195-kg clean and jerk for a 360-kg total.

 

Kevin Cornell and Donovan Ford, both in the 105-kg weight class, failed both of their first and second attempts at the snatch, but clinched their third attempts with a 158- and 159-kg snatch. Cornell also failed his first two attempts at the clean and jerk, relying on crowd support to help him eek out a 195-kg lift, which the judges ruled a no lift, resulting in no total. Ford made his first attempt at the clean and jerk with 192 kgs, but passed on his second and third attempts to end the day with a 353-kg total.

 

Representing Windy City Weightlifting, Shane Maier, 105+ kg weight class, also failed his first and second attempts, rebounding in his third attempt to secure a 163-kg snatch. Maier secured a 200-kg clean and jerk in his second attempt before failing on his third attempt for a total of 363 kgs.

 

Andrew Davis and Ethan Harak, both competing in the 105-kg weight class, secured their first snatch attempts with 150-kg and 155-kg, respectively. Both athletes failed their second and third attempts. Harak failed his first attempt at the clean and jerk, but made his second at 190 kgs before failing his third attempt, earning a total of 345 kgs. Davis also secured a 345-kg total, making a 195-kg clean and jerk on his first attempt. He failed his second and third attempts.

 

In a similar performance to Davis and Harak, 94-kg athlete Kendrick J. Farris made a good lift on his first attempt with 155-kg snatch, but failed his second and third attempts.Farris put up a 205-kg clean and jerk for a total of 360 kgs.

 

Dangelo Osorio, also in the 94-kg weight class, went three for three in his snatch attempts, ending with a 161-kg lift. He made two good lifts on his clean and jerk finishing with a 191-kg lift and a 352-kg total. Spencer Moorman, in the 105-kg weight class, also went three for three in the snatch, with a 163-kg lift in his third attempt. Moorman cleaned and jerked 201 kgs for a 364-kg total.

 

Both Jared Fleming, 94-kg weight class, and Michael Kreatsoulas, 105+ kg weight class, settled for 160-kg snatches after failing their third attempts to put up more weight. Fleming failed all of his attempts at the clean and jerk, failing to total. Kreatsoulas made a 200-kg clean and jerk on his second attempt for a total of 360 kgs.

Read the Men's Session 1 Recap Here

Read Women's Session Recap Here

Catch all of the lifts here.