The 2019 Nike USA Weightlifting National Championships is officially rockin’ and rollin’ at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. The event runs from May 9th to May 12th.
Last July, the International Weightlifting Federation approved ten new bodyweight categories for men and women in the senior/junior and youth age divisions and this year’s championships will be the first time USA Weightlifting crowns National Champions under these new weight classes.
“The location choice for the 2019 National Championships is one that will certainly make for some interesting memories for the very best athletes that USA Weightlifting has to offer,” Phil Andrews the CEO of USA Weightlifting said in a press release.
To get an idea as to who will be competing these next few days, USA Weightlifting released the latest version of the athlete start list here.
To keep up with all the action through the weekend, USA Weightlifting will be live streaming the events through their website at this link.
Last month, Team USA finished the 2019 Pan American Championships (a gold-level Olympic qualification event) with an historic 43 medals. Along with those 43 medals, USA Weightlifting finished in first place in both the men’s and women’s categories.
Some highlights from the Pan Ams include Sarah Robles being crowned Pan Am champion for the third year in a row, CJ Cummings breaking 15 records, and plenty of Junior and Senior American records shattered.
The USA Weightlifting National Championships also happens to be running the same weekend as the Ibero-American Championships in Palmira, Colombia. Team USA also sent athletes down to Palmira to compete, including Meredith Alwine, Marissa Klingseis, Kaitlyn Cooper, Tiffiny Wohlers, and Mason Groehler. As the Ibero-American Championships are a Silver Olympic Qualification event, it’s also an important competition for Team USA athletes, along with all the other lifters present. Best of luck to all the weightlifters who are competing this week.
Feature image from @mattiecakesssss Instagram page.