Competitors: Gonie Altman, Jacob Cadieux, Victor Delgado, Blake Gamez, Eleni Georgiou, Brie Gomez, Maddie Graham, Dillon James, Jon Ling, Zach Rickmeyer, Maanas Sathaye
The University of Texas Women’s Weightlifting Team placed 2nd at University Nationals, earning their first ever team award. The Men’s Weightlifting Team and the Co-Ed team finished 4th (a spot up for 2020)!
On the women’s side, Brie Gomez led the team with a 4th place finish in the 59kg class. After an injured wrist at AO Finals in December left her unable to snatch, clean or jerk until 3 weeks out, she was able to match her best ever total as a 59kg with a 73/87/160 performance (qualifying her to 2021 North American Open Finals). Gonie Altman put together a 5 for 6 day and a PR total. Hitting 62(PR!)/76/138, Gonie finished top 10 in the 64kg class. Maddie Graham had a big snatch day with a 74kg competition PR and a close miss at an all time PR of 76kg. Maddie finished the day with 74/88/162. Rounding out the women, Eleni Georgiou went 7 for 7 at her first ever national competition, hitting 46/63/109 for a PR Total. After technical difficulties didn’t allow for her opening snatch to communicated to the judges, Eleni was asked to repeat the lift. As such, she holds the distinction of being the only member of the UT Weightlifting Team to ever go 7 for 7!
For the men, Jacob Cadieux put together a competition PR snatch at 91kg with a 114kg clean & jerk for a PR total at 205kg. Jacob’s 4 for 6 day finished him in 7th in 67kg class. Blake Gamez went 3 for 3 in the snatch, finishing at 85kg and earning him a silver in the 55kg class. Unfortunately, he was not credited with any completed clean and jerks at 105kg and did not register a total. After having to back off heavier weights due to some lower back issues, Maanas Sathaye had a 5 for 6 day, hitting 80/110/190. His third snatch attempt for 83kg, called for a press out, would have been a competition PR. Jon Ling pulled together a competition PR snatch and matched his best competition clean & jerk for a PR total, hitting 98/120/218 in a 4 for 6 day. After only competing virtually throughout 2020, Zach Rickmeyer set to his first real competition. Zach went 100/115/215 on a 4 for 5 day, and finished in 8th in the 102kg class!
UT Weightlifting’s 2 Freshmen had a strong debut in burnt orange. Victor Delgado turned in a 5 for 6 day and came away with a PR snatch and PR total! His 114/140/254 performance earned him 6th place in the 89kg class. Prior to attending UT, Victor trained and competed weightlifting as a part of SPXF Barbell in Laredo, TX. Dillon James also snatched an all-time PR and produced a PR Total in a 4 for 6 day. He finished 100/118/218 in his first meet with UT. Prior to attending UT, Dillon trained and competed under Austin Barbell in South Austin, where he continues to train currently.