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Josee Gallant made career-best numbers in claiming her first international victory at the Pan American Championships in Venezuela. The Canadian did it with the help of one of the biggest names in Bulgarian weightlifting.

Gallant felt she needed to push harder in training. There is no tougher system than the Bulgarian Method, so Gallant decided last October to talk to one of the biggest names in weightlifting history, Alex Varbanov, and his son Nick.

Alex was one of the lifters who helped Bulgaria to overtake the Soviet Union as the number one team in weightlifting in the 1980s. The triple world champion and multiple world record holder, who emigrated to Canada in 2008, is one of the all-time top 10 weightlifters based on the Sinclair points system.

Josee Gallant (CAN)

He and Nick, a Canadian champion nine times, run a gym in Toronto. That is more than 1,700 kilometres from Gallant’s home in Truro, Nova Scotia where she works full-time for her local municipality in communications.

“I trained at their gym for a week or so, and now I work mostly with Nick, through his dad, remotely,” said Gallant after she made 89-109-198 for a sweep of golds at 55kg. “I’ll go there for a week before I fly to Thailand (for the IWF World Cup from March 31–April 11).

“What I’m doing is the Bulgarian Method adapted for a 31-year-old woman. I do extra stability stuff like snatch balance that’s not typical Bulgarian. But I do max out regularly, maybe three times a week, and I respond well to that. I always lifted heavy but this is less volume, higher percentages.

“It was far from a typical session today but it was very exciting.”

Gallant was certain of a medal before she started, when half the field of six withdrew – two from Paraguay and the Mexican Yesica Hernandez.

Gallant improved her best snatch by 3kg, her clean and jerk by 4kg and her total by 8kg. The late starter, who moved into weightlifting from CrossFit, loves every minute of training and competing, and aims to stay around for a while yet.

Rosselyn Uzcategui from Venezuela had to fight hard to make her third snatch after two failures, and took silver from only two good lifts on 83-103-186. Victoria Grenni from El Salvador was third on 75-96-171.

The absentees from the men’s 61kg included the continent’s top two lifters at this weight. Hampton Morris lifted in Bulgaria 12 days ago because the United States decided against travelling to Venezuela and got permission to compete as guests at the European Championships.

Arley Calderon (CUB)

Morris is seventh in the Olympic rankings, four places ahead of Arley Calderon from Cuba. Calderon opted to lift at 67kg here, weighing in at 63.05kg and making a straightforward six-from-six for his lowest total in three years on 118-148-266. He will try for the top 10 at the World Cup, the final Olympic qualifier, where his entry total is 295kg.

Three of the six 61kg lifters at the José ‘Papa’ Carrillo Gymnasium have entries for the World Cup but the title went to one who does not. Hector Viveros from Colombia made up an 8kg deficit in snatch to win on 115-149-264.

The Peruvian Luis Bardalez failed with a final attempt for victory on 152kg, finishing second on 114-150-264. Victor Garrido from Ecuador missed his last two attempts at 144kg and finished third on 123-140-263.

Men’s 61kg podium

The home nation’s gold medal favourite Wilkeinner Lugo, whose best total is 281kg, bombed out when he missed three snatch attempts at 118kg.

Colombia struck again with a 1-2 finish at 67kg. Luis Cano made four good lifts after failing with his opener, and declined his final attempt after making 129-164-293. His team-mate Hector Garcia made 135-157-292.

The Venezuelan Endy Rivas earned big cheers from a noisy crowd when he made his final attempt at 160kg to take third place on 127-160-287.

By Brian Oliver

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