By Spencer Arnold
Everyone reflects on their year as one comes to an end and another begins. Those of us wrapped up in the sport of weightlifting got a treat this year through the Olympics. Some reflect on good decisions, big job moves, choices in our personal lives or other things of the like. This year I wanted to push all that “important” stuff aside a take a look at what I believe to be top 5 lifts completed this year by Americans.
#5– In 2016 we saw a continuation of one of the most epic battles for a once long-standing snatch record. Tom Goff’s 94 kg American record was one of the longest standing American records of the day. In 2014 when Colin broke it with a 169 kg snatch at the World Championships it started a chain reaction in which this record would be broken multiple times by multiple people. Colin ended the year with yet another tic to that record hitting 173 at the American open to take the record back.
#4-There is one male who ALWAYS seems to make the lifts when it matters the most. He’s a three time Olympian making the most of the chances he is given. Kendrick Farris takes the fourth spot with this epic Olympic Trials performance for a new American Record Total, a spot in Rio, and a clutch 209 clean and jerk to seal the deal.
#3– I was in the warmup room helping Cortney Batchelor during the Olympic Trials session and saw Morghan King qualify for the Olympics. I was happy for my friend and impressed at the work she had done in such a relatively short career compared to others. Watching her performance in Rio produced more of the same emotions. The third best lift of the year was her 83kg Snatch on an Olympic stage to beat Tara Nott’s record of 82.5kg. (Why is it so hard to find a video of the record?)
#2– This was a tough toss-up for the number 1 spot. Coming in at a close second place is Sarah Robles’ bronze medal winning Clean and Jerk at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
#1– Yall knew this was coming. The best lift of the year was record breaking. Our 16 year old superstar smoked a new youth WORLD record at the 2016 Youth World Championships in Penang, Malaysia. 182kg to establish a feat most lifters have never seen completed much less dreamed of doing.