By: JP Nicoletta

Lifters interested in the 2015 American Open will have an opportunity to see the venue early as The Grand Sierra Resort & Casno in Reno, NV plays host to the PWA Championships June 13-15, 2015.

 

The Pacific Weightlifting Association (PWA) covers California (south of Fresno) up to the Oregon border and includes ten Western Counties of Nevada. Over 150 athletes representing registered PWA clubs will compete for $5K in cash prizes. Prizes will be awarded based off 80% world ranking totals which can be found here.

 

The PWA Championships, aired live by FloElite, will feature top youth, junior, senior and masters athletes from the association. Several top international USAW athletes are scheduled to lift.

2014 USAW Junior and Youth World Team Member, Megan Seegert (48kg), is the top-ranked female athlete heading into the competition. She currently holds the PWA records in the Youth and Junior divisions and could take a run at the senior records of 61kg and 80kg this weekend. Her best official snatch of 64kg is 3kg better than the current PWA senior record and she attempted 82kg at the National Juniors earlier this year.

 

Also competing will be Alyssa Sulay (63kg) of Catalyst Athletics. Sulay, who placed 14th at the 2014 Sr. Nationals is coming off a personal best 175kg total at the 2015 Hassle Free Spring Breakers in March of this year. The event will be highlighted by the Men's A session on Sunday afternoon. 

 

Jordan Cantrell (85kg) who placed 4th at the 2015 National Juniors set a PWA Junior record 133kg snatch last month at the CA State Games. His 290kg PR total from the State Gameswould have been good enough to win his class at Juniors.

 

In the Masters category, Larry Hutchinson (94kg) already owns the PWA Masters C&J record of 159kg. He'll look to take the Snatch (131kg) and total (288kg) records currently held by Freddie Myles.The feature will be a possible preview to medal stand at Nationals in the 105kg class as 3 international level PWA athletes are entered.

 

David Garcia, currently the nation's top 105kg lifter (ranked 6th overall) has already 1kg more than the current PWA record (170kg) and could make a run at the PWA C&J and total records of 210kg and 373kg currently held by Donny Shankle.

Olympic training hall (OTC) resident and 2014 American Open Champion, Donovan Ford along with 2014 World Team Member D'Angelo Osorio are all on the startlist and are always good for big numbers.

 

Tentative Schedule:

 

FRIDAY JUNE 12th - ALL YOUTH CATEGORIES LIFTING BEGINS 

YOUTH MEN B Session: 12:00 NOON 

YOUTH WOMEN B Session: 2:00 PM 

YOUTH WOMEN A Session: 4:00 PM 

YOUTH MEN A Session: 6:00 PM 

MEN E Session - if needed: 8:00 AM 

WOMEN E Session - if needed: 10:00 AM 

MEN D Session: 12:00 NOON 

WOMEN D Session: 2:00 PM 

WOMEN C Session: 4:00 PM 

MEN C Session: 6:00 PM 

MEN B Session: 10:AM 

WOMEN B Session: 12:00 NOON 

WOMEN A Session: 2:00 PM 

MEN A Session: 4:00 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 13th - OPEN 

SUNDAY JUNE 14th - OPEN 

 

All times are (PST).

 

This storied PWA Association has produced 19 US Olympians. This weekend's 

event will be an opportunity to see several candidates with a shot at being 

the 20th.

 

Event coverage of the 2015 PWA Championships can be found at 

FloElite.com. Viewers can follow along with LIVE coverage of the event here 

on June 12th - 14th, 2015. To watch the 2015 PWA Championships LIVE, 

you must be a member of FloElite's premium service, FloPRO. FloPRO 

subscriptions come in two pricing packages: $19.99/monthly subscription, 

$149.99/yearly subscription.

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