At BarBend, we’re big fans fo weightlifting (duh), so we never pass up the opportunity to highlight some superlative lifts. Today, we’re breaking down the heaviest snatch and clean & jerk ever made by American women in competition. It’s worth noting these are the heaviest by any American women, so both of these lifts come from lifters in the superheavyweight category (currently +87kg). We’ll cover other specific weight classes in more videos!
These records are owned by two multi-time Olympians and Olympic Bronze Medalists, both among the most accomplished weightlifters in American history!
Special thanks to Bruce Klemens for allowing us to use his photographs of Cheryl Haworth’s American Record snatch!
Heaviest American Women’s Snatch
The heaviest snatch ever made by an American woman (in competition!) is 128kg. Multi-time Olympian and Olympic Bronze Medalist Cheryl Haworth made this lift at the 2003 USA Weightlifting National Championships in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
[Related: The Heaviest Women’s Snatch and Clean & Jerk EVER.]
It’s one of the oldest records in American weightlifting. Though the bodyweight categories in weightlifting have been restructured since 2003, because Cheryl made this lift in the superheavyweight division, her record still stands. Cheryl Haworth is a 3-time Olympian (2000, 2004, and 2008) and won a Bronze Medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. That was actually the first Olympic Games to feature women’s weightlifting!
[Find out who owns the American record snatch and clean & jerk in this category on the men’s side!]
Heaviest American Women’s Clean & Jerk
The heaviest clean & jerk ever made by an American woman in competition is 162kg. That lift was made by Sarah Robles in 2018 at the American Open Series III competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. Like Cheryl Haworth, Sarah Robles is a multi-time Olympian and won a Bronze Medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, ending a 16 year Olympic medal drought for American weightlifters. (Yep, there was a 16 year gap between Haworth and Robles’ respective medals!)
Do you think anyone can beat these records in the near future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
FAQs
What's the heaviest snatch by an American woman?
The heaviest snatch ever made by an American woman in competition is 128kg. Cheryl Haworth completed this lift at USA Weightlifting Nationals in 2003. The competition took place in Chattanooga, TN.
What's the heaviest clean & jerk by an American woman?
The heaviest clean & jerk ever made by an American woman in competition is 162kg. Sarah Robles made this lift at the American Open Series III in Las Vegas in 2018.
Who is Cheryl Haworth?
Cheryl Haworth is an American weightlifting from the state of Georgia. She is a three-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008) and won a Bronze Medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Who is Sarah Robles?
Sarah Robles is an American weightlifter who competes in the +87kg bodyweight category. She is a multi-time Olympian and won a Bronze Medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was also the 2017 World Champion in the +90kg division.
