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Ruth Kasirye’s hopes for the World Championships

Ruth Kasirye, Norway's best weightlifter, has prepared well for this year's World Championships in Paris. She showed good form during the Nordic Championships in Pori, Finland, early in October (101 kg in the snatch and 127 kg in the clean and jerk). She later confirmed her good form in the regional championships in Norway a week later by lifting respectively 100 kg and 125 kg. Earlier this autumn Ruth has trained very well together with the French national team, but she will close her last preparations for the Worlds in Paris in Norway. Her main goal in Paris will be to qualify on individual basis for the London Olympics. At the last Games in Beijing Ruth Kasirye had the very honorable duty to be Flag Bearer for the Norwegian team at the Opening Ceremony. Her next big competition will be the Test Event in London the second weekend in December this

Excelling performances on the 4th day in Guadalajara

69kg womenToo strong coming from behindShe may have not impressed in the snatch, but in the C&J she certainly took matters into her own hands. With a gutsy performance by hometown hero, Cinthya Dominguez (MEX) snatching 103 kg in her third attempt (for a correction), Mercedes Perez (COL) and Aremi Fuentes (MEX) trailed close behind with 101kg each. But as soon as the second part started, it was clear who was the strongest in this small group of competitors in the 69kg category. Fuentes stayed third with a best lift of 120kg and Dominguez, did only 123kg in her opener, missing twice from there on. The table was then set for Perez to go from 125 to 131kg in her second attempt towards a new Pan Am record. An attempt at 135kg in her third chance was reversed by the jury, but nevertheless, the positions were already fixed. Tenorio (ECU) and Rue (USA) was no match ending fourth and fifth, respectively. 94kg menOnce again, we see a repetitionAt first the medals were finely distributed among the participating countries in the previous three days, but coming into the fourth day, we see that some countries have invaded the medal podium to stay. In these XVI Pan American Games, Eduardo Guadamud, ECU, came back to the weightlifting stage after a few years absence. He worked well his way through the snatch trying to gain a most appreciated lead. But it was to no avail because the Cuban, Javier Vanegas and the Venezuelan, Herbys Marquez decided it was time to advance past Guadamud in the second part. In their third attempt each one of these athletes made a good lift, but in the reverse order of the medals. First Guadamud assured bronze, then Marquez lifted enough for the silver, and Vanegas left no doubt that Cuba still has a little left of what was the strongest country in the American Continent. 75kg womenAn attempted ambush that did not workWhen a country consolidates itself as a continental powerhouse it usually goes for the women as for the men. This is the case of Colombia, searching and reaching for more gold medals in Guadalajara 2011. Although a very small group (six competitors turned into five when Jaqueline Ferreira, BRA, failed to make a single good snatch), the stakes were high with two girls from Venezuela trying to ambush Ubaldina Valoyes of Colombia. To this attack, the junior lifter Maria Valdes (CHI) included herself reaching the third place in snatch right ahead of Maria Alvarez (VEN) with 100kg each. Second was the other Venezuelan Yarvanis Herrera with 104kg. But Valoyes had no mercy going three for three and reaching an advantage of nine kilos over the runner-up Herrera. The Clean & Jerk was a Colombian show when Valoyes assured the gold with 137kg while her contenders were left very far behind: Valdes 129kg and Alvarez

Final Entries reviewed

After double checking the discrepancies and incorrect data with the National Federations, we have updated the Final Entries List. Available

Cuba in the spotlight on the third day of the Pan American Games

77kg MenCuba breaks the tendency Through the first two days of competition and six categories competed, the gold medals were distributed heterogeneously among six different countries. This is: CUB, PUR, COL, DOM, VEN, ECU. But one of these countries broke this tendency by winning another gold medal at the 77kg category for men. Ivan Cambar set the pace right from the start with 150kg in snatch, closely followed by Ricardo Flores (ECU) with 148kg and Wellisson Da Silva (BRA) also with 148, but with higher bodyweight. The battle was practically over in the C&J when Cambar took advantage of the two mistakes by Flores and won the jerk with 188kg. Da Silva lost an opportunity for a medal as Chad Vaughn, USA, did better with 179 to 177kg for the Brazilian. Cambar gave Cuba the second gold medal of these games, while Flores got silver and Vaughn received bronze. Da Silva was left in fourth place by just one kilo. 85kg MenLike in the old days, Cuba still shows powerFor some time past, Cuba used to dominate the Pan America scene by winning most of the men's categories, leaving very little chance for other countries to step on the highest place over the medal podium. This time the battle was between Kendrick Farris, USA; Carlos Andica, COL; and Yoelmis Hernandez, CUB. Hey all had very good performances in the snatch, being Hernandez the leader in the first part and leaving Julio Idrovo, ECU, behind after missing his second and third attempt. In the second part Kendricks was not himself, missing his second jerk and rushing his third for a miss. Andica did all in his power to displace Hernandez, but the Cuban used his better technique to finish first after six excellent lifts, just equaling the record still owned by Oliver Ruiz (COL) at 206kg. It is important to notice that in this session we saw for the first time in Pan American Games the participation of a lifter from Haiti, Odeus Belicer, who trains in the Dominican Republic. 63kg WomenThe battle was too intense; 13 Pan Am recordsThis title certainly makes no sense. We all know that in modern weightlifting there are only three possibilities to see new competition records: snatch, clean and jerk and total. But what happened in this woman's category needs to be explained. After the girls from PER, CHI and ECU finished their participation in the snatch, Christine Gerard (CAN), Nisida Palomeque (COL) and local hero Luz Mercedes Acosta (MEX), the Pan Am records fell like leaves from a tree in autumn. Girard started with a new record in snatch of 101kg (the previous record of 100kg by herself), then Acosta with 103kg, then Girard again with 104kg, then Acosta, 105kg and finally Girard ended this madness with 106kg, the record that prevails. He C&J had a similar development, just that in this occasion Palomeque got into the melee ending a four time record breaking streak with 135kg as the final tally. The total was also rewritten by Acosta and Girard, with the Canadian coming up with the final word: a Pan Am record total of 238kg. There were 13 records in this session, the toughest one up to date. Girard kept the gold, Palomeque the silver and Acosta the bronze. By David Arroyo Pan American

The second day of competition at the Pan American Games

53kg WomenDominican Republic used the right strategyIf a team changes a successful athlete to a different bodyweight category, there must be a very compelling motive to do so. This is the case of Yuderquis Contreras, a well known 58kg competitor, was registered into the 53kg category as a surprise. Joined by her teammate, Yineisy Reyes, they both started to make life difficult for their closest contenders: Inmara Henrriquez (VEN) and Francia Peñuñuri (MEX). Contreras was successful in improving the Pan Am Record in snatch by one kilo (from 95 to 96kg) By the time the snatch ended, the two Dominican girls were one-two in the ranking with VEN and MEX far behind. But the C&J was another story. Henrriquez achieved 109kg as her best, just before Contreras missed with 110kg placing the pressure on. By then, Reyes was out of contention in the total (her C&J is not her specialty), allowing Peñuñuri to pass her by to end with the bronze medal in total with 188kg, while Reyes was left 4th with 188kg. It was a very good move by DOM to place Contreras in this category, because what happened in the 58kg category is another story. She made 206kg total, just one kilo away from the Pan Am record of 207kg. 69kg MenThere is not a better thing than experienceNo matter how many young athletes might rise in this category, the experienced Israel Rubio (VEN) always has an ace under his sleeve. He tied with his teammate Junior Sanchez in the snatch with 145kg each, followed by far by Doyler Sanchez from COL. But contrary to what has been the usual performance by Rubio (he has distinguished himself for being a snatch specialist) the tables were turned at the C&J. Rubio had three good lifts up to a best one of 173kg (to complement his three correct snatches) to earn a gold medal with a new Pan Am record in total with 318kg His teammate Sanchez got silver with 310, beating Sanchez (VEN) by bodyweight. Bredni Roque (CUB) was almost a threat, but it seems that the Cuban team is reconstructing towards a new future in this sport. 58kg WomenEven by default ECU stays on topColombia has enough athletes in this category to cover all possible alternatives, but there is someone in this field that may displace all competition. Wherever she competes in the Pan American Continent, all contenders have to make space for Alexandra Escobar (ECU). But this time it was a little different: Jackelina Heredia and Lina Rivas came decided to dethrone the queen of the 58kg category by. Rivas established a new Pan Am Record twice with 99kg followed by 100kg. Escobar missed her last snatch with 101kg placing second with 99kg. In the C&J, Lina Rivas entered the battle assuring a bronze medal with 215kg total. But Heredia did all she could to hurt Escobar: she tried 120kg twice, but the referees saw flaws in her technique and had to settle for silver when Escobar struggled successfully with a second attempt at 122kg. A third attempt by Escobar with 126kg to improve her own record of 125kg for a Pan Am record was no good. By David Arroyo Pan American

Andy Tysz Named Coaching Education Director

Accomplished athlete and Level 3 Weightlifting Coach, Andy Tysz, has been named USA Weightlifting's new Coaching Education Director. Serving as the Resident Coach for weightlifting at the US Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University in Marquette since 2007, Andy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new charge of broadening and developing USAW's coaching education program. Following the peak of his lifting career during which time the former Resident Athlete at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs won a Bronze medal at the 1998 NACACI Championships, placed 5th at the 2001 Pan Am Championships and was a 2002 Pan Am Championship team member, Tysz advanced through USA Weightlifting's Mentor/Apprentice Coach Program in Colorado Springs from 2002-2003. He went on to coach at a USAW Community Olympic Development Program in Crown Point, Indiana from 2004 to 2007 and served briefly as USAW's Coaching Coordinator before taking on the coaching assignment at NMU. He graduated from University of South Florida with a bachelor's of science degree in Secondary Physical Education in 1992 and received his master's degree in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University in 2007. Tysz grew up in New Port Richey, Florida and is a former football player and javelin champion. He enjoys philately, cycling and weightlifting in his free time.