Five athletes from the Lake Trail/Killerwhale Weightlifting Club travelled to Port Alberni on Saturday, Feb. 18 to compete in the A&R Memorial Weightlifting Championships, hosted by the EMS Weightlifting Club. All the lifters set Personal Records (PRs) and all five returned with medals.
The A&R tournament is a longstanding memorial tournament in Port Alberni for two East Indian weightlifters, and is the traditional season opener for the BC Weightlifting Association, said LT/KWC coach Ed Lafleur. The BCWA is affiliated with the Canadian Weightlifting Federation, which in turn is affiliated with the International Weightlifting Federation and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Jakob Rockx, 15 and in Grade 10 at G.P. Vanier, took the gold medal in the 56kg bodyweight category. “Jakob Snatched 40kg and almost made 43, which would have been a new PR, but didn’t satisfy two of the referees that he locked his elbows. He then set a PR in he Clean and Jerk with 55kg to Total 95kg,” Lafleur said.
Ryan Yeomans, 14 and in Grade 9 at Lake Trail School, took silver in the 56kg category with PRs of 27 in the Snatch and 36 in the Clean & Jerk. “Ryan almost made 38kg, but got called for a pressout (pressing the bar to elbows straight, rather than jerking it). Ryan’s Total of 63 was also a PR,” Lafleur said.
Markas Rockx, 13 and in Grade 7 at Lake Trail, earned the bronze in his second competition with a PR Total of 61. “He made all six of his lifts, Snatching a PR of 29kg and Jerking a PR of 32kg,” Lafleur noted.
Aiden Shepherd, 13 and in Grade 8 at Lake Trail, earned the gold medal in the 62kg bodyweight category, improving his Total by an amazing 17 to 124kg. He set PRs in the Snatch with 46kg on his second lift and 51kg on his third.
“All of his Clean and Jerks set PRs, with 67, then 70 and then 73kg. Aiden has been training hard and it is great to see his effort pay off with outstanding results,” said Lafleur.
Tyler Yeomans,15 and in Grade 10 at G.P. Vanier, took the silver medal in the 62kg bodyweight category. “Tyler also set PRs, 52kg in the Snatch and 68kg in the Clean & Jerk, to Total a new PR of 120. Tyler tried another PR in the Jerk with 71, but didn’t quite lock his elbows and was called for a pressout,” said Lafleur.
The Killerwhales will now be training hard for their next tournament, the BC Junior Championships, which the club will host at Lake Trail School on Saturday, April 21.
Lake Trail/Killerewhale Weightlifting Club
