Wes Kitts is one of the brightest jewels in California Strength’s crown, routinely lighting up Instagram with his feats of strength. His latest: an excellent clean followed by an almost jerk of 221 kilograms (487.2lb). Watch the lift that almost exceeded the American record in the clean & jerk for the -105kg class, which was set by Wes Barnett in 1999.
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Kitts wrote with this lift,
Disappointing end to the realization cycle. 221kg (487#) for a clean and missed jerk after making 213kg. Came into the session feeling a bit tired, but that’s not a good excuse.
I got an opportunity to hit some big lifts and let it pass me by.
Hoping I can clean some things up as I start my taper and show up to Pan Ams in the Dominican ready to crush some big lifts! Feeling down but definitely not out. Hungrier than ever…
One thing’s for sure: that clean looked really solid, more so than the last time we saw him hit 221 kilograms four weeks ago.
We’ve seen the man jerk 237 kilograms (522.5 pounds) about a year ago, but of course, it’s also a lot easier to jerk a weight when you haven’t had to heave it from the floor to your shoulders first.
For now, the history books know Kitts as the man who holds the American record in the snatch, which he set at December’s World Weightlifting Championships with 176 kilograms (388 pounds). That day he also went on to clean & jerk 210 kilograms (463 pounds), a lift that he’s repeatedly exceeded, most recently this week with this 213-kilogram clean & jerk.
We’re pretty certain he’ll be taking the clean & jerk record before too long. For now, it’s a waiting game.
Featured image via @weskitts22 on Instagram.