Palm Desert Teen Weightlifters Compete at Nationals

Five teenage weightlifters from Palm Desert, CA will be competing this weekend in the 2012 National Youth Championships in Dearborn, Mich. There will be over 200 competitors competing for weight class and age category titles in this weekend’s USA Weightlifting sanctioned event.

These five athletes train at the local Olympic Weightlifting training facility known as The Yard Authentic Strength & Barbell, and is home to “Team Yard” coached by Nick Frasca and Anthony Pomponio.

Last year the team competed in the 2011 National Youth Championships that took place in Flowery Branch, Georgia. The team took home third place in the overall team rankings, which means Team Yard was the third best Youth Olympic Weightlifting team in the U.S.

Lifters are judged on the completion of two lifts performed in Olympic Weightlifting called The Snatch, and The Clean and Jerk.

Three chances are given to complete each lift, or the lifter can add more weight (measured in kilograms) to the lift for a higher score. The weight of the combined best lifts produce a score, and are then ranked according to weight class.

List of Team Yard lifters competing at the 2012 National Youth Championships:

Mike Epstein, 13, will be competing in his first Youth National event. Mike is ranked in the age 13 and under age class, 85+ kg weight class. He is scheduled to compete on Friday, June 22 at 3pm.

Jonny Renker, 16, will be competing in his second Youth National event. Jonny is ranked fourth in the 16-17 years old age class, 69 kg weight class. He is scheduled to compete on Saturday, June 23 at 3pm.

Max Adams will be competing in his second Youth National event. Max is ranked third in the 16-17 years old age class, 105 kg weight class. He is scheduled to compete on Sunday, June 24^th at noon.

Ben Simonds, 16, will be competing in his first Youth National event. Ben is ranked first in the 16-17 years old age class, 105+ kg weight class. He is scheduled to compete on Sunday, June 24^th at noon.