On the last day of the World University Championships in Merida, Mexico, the American team picked up right where they left off – on the medal podium. Led by official team coaches Danny Camargo, Sean Waxman, and John Broz, both the American Men’s and Woman’s teams finished in 2nd place overall at the competition.
The woman’s team finished their dominant performance with a silver medal from Marissa Klingseis in the 75KG + category. Marissa successfully lifted 107KG (235lb) in the snatch and 142KG (312lb) in the clean & jerk for a 249KG (548lb) total. She missed out on winning a gold medal by 8KG, behind 2016 Pan American Champion Tania Mascorro from the host country of Mexico.
75KG+
Gold — Tania Mascorro (MEX) 257KG
Silver – Marissa Klingseis (USA) 249KG
Bronze – Gladis Bueno (MEX) 235KG
Earlier in the day, Olympian and 2016 Asian Champion Ankhtsetseg Muhkhjantsan of Mongolia added to her already impressive resume by winning the 75KG category. She successfully totaled 235KG (517lb) to narrowly defeated Mexico’s Arem Fuentes by 4KG. Canada’s Kristel Ngarlem claimed the bronze medal with a 205KG (451lb) total.
75KG
Gold- — Ankhtsetseg Muhkhjantsan (MON) 235KG
Silver – Arem Fuentes (MEX) 231KG
Bronze – Kristel Ngarlem (CAN) 205KG
In the 105KG category, America swept all three bronze medals. Evan Graybill successfully snatched 147KG (323lb) and totaled 318KG (700lb) to secure two bronzes. After failing to record a snatch, Matthew McCarty came back and successfully lifted 182KG (400lb) in the clean & jerk for a bronze in the lift.
105KG
Gold — Yoshihiro Tada (JPN) 349KG
Silver – Oscar Verdugo (MEX) 349KG
Bronze – Evan Graybill (USA) 318KG
Team USA’s final athletes were Javier Paglieri, who totaled 345KG (759lb), and Nicholas Saccante, who totaled 332KG (730lb). They finished in 8th and 9th place, respectively. South Korea’s Jaesang Lee clean & jerked a whopping 221KG (486lb) to defeat his fellow countryman Wooman Hwang by 1 kilo.
105KG+
Gold — Jaesang Lee (KOR) 386KG
Silver – Wooman Hwang (KOR) 385KG
Bronze – Przemyslaw Budek (POL) 378KG
The next big event for weightlifters will be the American Open, to be held December 8th to 11th in Orlando, FL. American University Team members such as James Tatum, Travis Cooper, and Mattie Rodgers are all expected to compete.
Featured image: @usa_weightlifting on Instagram
