Sundays competition was pretty good apart from the fact that after the 9 - 10 am weight-in, i wasn't due to compete until the afternoon at 1.30pm. I had only 1.5 hours sleep the night before so you can gather i must have been pretty shattered by the time i was due on the platform, which i was.
The competition began at 11am with all the mens lighter class's competing first, then the women and then the mens 169 pounds and my class - 187 pounds. Until it was my turn to compete i took out my digital camera and recorded footage of some of the lifters before me, men and the women. They were alot of fantastic lifters there, young too. I'm 22 and they were lifters from school aged about 16 and under competiting in 121 pound weight class who were lifting close to me and some more-so!
The whole meet was a total shock to me. I felt weak compared to the rest of the competitors. One of the other guys who i think was in my weight class was only 16. He ended up qualifying for the Junior British Olympic Team which is quite an achievement. Its weird i shouldn't feel old at 22 years of age but i find that athletes today enter competition while still in there early teens. Hell, a couple of years back i never even knew the difference between Olympic training from Powerlifting, lol! I got speaking to one of the referees and he was telling me about how he trains kids on the Olympic lifts as early as 9 years of age who after a few months of training end up snatching and clean and Jerking their bodyweight for reps. Just think what those kids will be lifting by the time they begin High School. Unbelievable. I have alot of catching up to do and then some if i plan on being successful at this tough competitive sport.
Anyway where was i? It eventually happened. It was my turn to warmup. Snatch was first. I won't bore you with details here but i did a few warmup sets. My sets were Power Snatches. I still don't have the technique to do a proper full squat snatch. An announcer then came through the door. The other lifters including myself had to go onto the platform. We were to be announced to the spectators. Very embarrassing. As your name was called, you stepped out in front of the other guys in line and waved your hand in applause or something like that. Looking down the line, there were a couple of showmen who stepped out as their name was called and bowed down and gave the audience a little wink, which was funny.
I was kinda dreading the situation. What was i gona do? I became nervous. My name eventually was called; i stepped forward; smiled awkwardly and raised one arm. Looking back i don't even think i looked at the crowd around me. My eyes glazed to the floor as far as i remember.
After the introductions, we all went back to the warmup room. I did a couple more sets on the snatch and then i was called out for my first lift. I began at 143 pounds. Did an explosive Power Snatch and made it. Easy. It was then my turn to go again. After the bar was loaded i had 2 minutes to prepare myself for my next lift. I went for 154 pounds. This was probably the most weight i have lifted back home in training at my gym. The lift was explosive and again fairly easy. However i did get one red light and one white one which meant i was okay. Turned out one of my arms was slightly bent, my right arm i think. I kind of did a press out with my right arm. The reason it was my turn to go again was that my poundages were alot less compared to the other guys in my weight class.
My final lift was 165 pounds. I got it up fine or so i thought. It got two red lights. A FAILED lift. My arms weren't fully locked out as i snatched the bar which was disapointing for me. I honestly thought i made the lift but thats Olympic training for you - very technical.
3 lifts were done --- Now it was onto 'Clean and Jerk'. I proceeded to warm up. My main target was to build up to 187 pounds. I managed that fine. I then went for 198 pounds. A poundage i still hadn't managed to Jerk in the gym. I managed the weight fine with a little split Jerk to make sure. I then ran down to one of the Judges and changed my opening first lift to 203.5 pounds.
My confidence was up a little and since i was let down in my final snatch lift i basically had to go for it. My main reason for entering the competition was soley for experience; to check out what the other competitors were like and to see how an Olympic competition was setup. I had nothing to lose.
It was now my turn to lift. The bar was loaded to 203.5 pounds. My dad held the video camera in his hands and begain recording. I chalked up and prepared myself. Using just pure strength i Power Cleaned the bar up to my shoulders. It was easy. Took a few deep breaths and using my legs, i drove the bar up off my shoulders above my head and split into a jerk. I got the lift. No probs. However i think i got one red light again; one of my arms wasn't fully locked out.
I found out that a competitor must fully lock his or her arms straight out as they Jerk the bar from their shoulders. You cannot jerk the bar up high and then press the bar up to arms length. Thats deemed as a press out and is unexcepted. They gave me the lift anyway as i recieved one white light too.
I then proceeded to tell the judge my next lift. He told me to go for 214.5 pounds. I had already lifted more weight above my head than i previously had done in my gym but i instead opted to go for less. My next weight would be only 209 pounds. Managed it fine. It was kinda cool. As i cleaned the bar to my shoulders with ease, (a power clean remember), some of the spectators began shouting for me, giving me encouragement. It was great. I then explosively did a split jerk and kept my arms straight. The bar went up and i went down. It was perfect. I'm not the most pleasently skilled lifter to watch but i get the bar up.
For my last lift i decided to go for 220 pounds. I cleaned the weight fine. However while I drove the bar up above my head, i just couldn't get under it and keep my arms straight. I think it was just too much for me . Next time...
I finished 2nd today overall in my weight class. My lifts were as follows -
SNATCH - 154 pounds
CLEAN AND JERK - 209 pounds
TOTAL - 363 pounds
BODYWEIGHT - around 178 pounds
I look forward to my next Olympic Competition. But i have alot to do until then. I need alot more strength and my technique needs to get much better. ;D
Robert
