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2001 NATIONAL POWERLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS
RESULTS: SQUAT: 319.5lbs. BENCH: 270lbs DEADLIFT: 341.5lbs. TOTAL: 931lbs. 2ND PLACE 132lb WEIGHT CLASS WORLD BENCH PRESS RECORD NATIONAL BENCH PRESS RECORD AMERICAN BENCH PRESS RECORD MEET DESCRIPTION: The Powerlifting National Championships ended much better than they started. It all started in the Charlotte airport. We got on the plane and everything seemed fine as we pulled away from the gate. Suddenly the plane stopped and the pilot came on and informed us that there was a mechanical difficulty that would be fixed quickly. Knowing that we had a connection in Cincinnati we hoped he was correct. After about a half-hour we pulled back to the gate and were informed that the plane could not be fixed and we would have to de-plane and book another flight. Since Jen had to weigh in the next day at noon and it was already near 5 o’clock this just sounded like trouble. Well, we got off the plane and were told that we had to go to the ticket counter, not the terminal, and try to find another flight. As we were standing in line, with the rest of the people from our flight, the lady at the counter stated, “anyone going to Cincinnati the plane is fixed.” Back through security, back though check-in, back onto the plane, and finally off we went. As you can imagine, by this time we were quite delayed. We arrived in Cincinnati very late but luckily due to weather our connection was also delayed and was boarding as we arrived. Only problem, we arrived at gate C-1 and our flight was boarding at C-51. Good thing was the run could help Jen lose some weight. We made the flight but arrived very late to our hotel in Fort Wayne. This is where the real trouble started. Jen was about 4 pounds over weight and the sauna at the local YMCA was already closed. This meant no dinner and an early rise to hit the sauna the next morning. Jen got up around 8 am, I think. I was still recovering from the coaches meeting the night before, which seemed to go kind of late. Jen went to the sauna and returned still a pound over. No breakfast, back to the sauna, weigh-in was only a little over an hour away. She was able to make weight but was pretty dehydrated and very hungry. This may have affected her performance in the past, but not now, nothing but business. The meet started promptly at 2 o’clock and was run very well. This was a full powerlifting meet which included all three lifts, squat, bench, and dead lift. There was 16 women in the 132 lb. weight class, including the 1998, 1999, and 2000 national champs, with Jen ranked 4th about 50 pounds behind. Most everyone knew who she was, and figured she was there to just set the bench press record. Jen is considered a Bench press specialist and this was her first Powerlifting National Championships. First came the squat, this is Jennifer’s weakest event but she has spent a lot of time working on her leg strength. Jen opened up with 295 lbs. and made it easily. Her second attempt was 315 and would be a personal best. This was a big effort and a successful attempt. She decided to call for 320 on her third attempt and with her patented yell she was able to power through the sticking point, a new personal best by almost 30 pounds. However, she was only in 6th place and about 33 pounds behind. Now it was time for the bench, and Jennifer’s chance to make up some ground. Everyone wanted to see her bench and to see some records fall. In the warm-up Jen tried 245 and said it felt very heavy, she also stated that she felt pretty drained after the squat. I explained that, cutting the weight was mental draining and she had to put it out of her head. Jen assured me there would be “no problem.” She was right and opened with the National Record, 254 lbs., making it look easy. She decided to go for the World Record on her second attempt, 270 lbs., it was scary how easy she made it look. She now had the three lift Bench Press World Record. There are actually two bench press records, one record is for full powerlifting competitions where you have to bench after having already squatted (which is considerably tougher), and the single lift record for bench press only meets. After such an easy 270, the decision was made to try 280 and tie the single lift World Record, unfortunately she was a little slow on the bottom, trying to be to perfect, and got stalled and missed the lift about 2 inches from the top. She was now suddenly in the lead having out benched everyone else by more than 50 pounds. The last event was the dead lift, although Jen was in the lead by around 15 pounds everyone still thought the competition was between the previous national champs. She was definitely written off when her first dead lift of 286 lbs. was 40 pounds lighter then the other top 3 competitors and suddenly she was back in 4th place. With the rest of the competition worried only about each other, Jen had a secret. The others made 10-15 pound jumps for their second attempts in a battle to beat each other. Now came the secret, Jen made a 50 lb. jump all the way to 336 pounds for her second attempt and to 341 lbs. for her third, and suddenly had the lead again with a 931 lb. total. Now the scramble began, first came the 1998 &1999 champ who had to try 386 lbs. to get the win and missed to end up forth. Next, it was the 2000 National champs turn, she needed to go 424 and couldn’t even get it off the floor, taking third. Finally, last years-bronze medalist was able to make her last dead lift of 375 lbs. to win the meet and leave Jen with the Silver Medal. Surprise, the bench press specialist can powerlift too!! A Silver Medal in her first Powerlifting National Championships, 4 personal bests, 30 lbs. better in the total, beating the two previous National Champs, and a new Bench Press World, National, and American Record. I guess you can say that is better than sitting on a runway, getting on the same plane twice, and running 50 gates threw the Cincinnati Airport, thanks Delta. Click for National Meet
Results
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Special Thanks to Richard Weed and Carol Latta Chromosome Donors
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