|
|
|
|
2002 NATIONAL BENCH PRESS CHAMPIONSHIPS
RESULTS: BENCH: 292lbs. (303lb. 4th attempt) 1ST PLACE 132lb WEIGHT CLASS BEST FEMALE LIFTER WORLD SINGLE-LIFT BENCH PRESS RECORD NATIONAL SINGLE-LIFT BENCH PRESS RECORD MEET DESCRIPTION: Bench Press Nationals started this year with the knowledge that Jen had lost her World Record to the Japanese lifter Maki Wada. Maki had bettered Jennifer’s World Record of 281.5 lbs. by a half pound, at the Japanese National meet. After Jen had learned that her record had been broken, she stated, “282, that’s only a half a pound, I am going to put 10 or 15 on the record.” There is a different confidence that comes with being the reigning World Champion. A confidence that makes you want to send a message to the rest of the world whenever you get the chance. Nationals were in Cleveland again this year and Jen had brought her own routing section. It included 15 of her closest friends and family. They all came to see a show and Jen was not going to let them down. She seems to get more up for the meets when she has people to show off for. That is a big difference from her first Nationals just 4 years ago. The pressure of a big competition and people counting on her would cause her to get so nervous that she had trouble competing, but now it seems to almost be the reason she competes. Jen was in the first tier of lifters at the Nationals, and there was a big crowd to see the lifting. Her toughest competition was Jill Darling, an accomplished bencher herself, having taken 3rd in the World last year herself. Jill opened with 250 lbs., close to her personal best. Jen took 264 lbs. and made it look like a simple warm-up. Jill took 271 lbs. for her second attempt and made it look surprisingly easy. This forced Jen, who was heavier, to go up to 281.5 her previous World Record. It was amazing how easy a World Record, that was less than a year old, could look-as it flew up. Jill then put in a third attempt of 292 lbs., a full 10 pounds more than the current World Record. Jen followed suit, figuring that if Jill made the lift then she would the go to 297. While waiting for her lift Jen said, “this is great, I love this kind of competition, this is why I lift, for the competition.” This is when I realized that our roles had changed. I was the nervous one and Jen was the one who was assuring me that it was going to be no problem. My stomach was churning, my hands were sweating, and I was even a little shaky. That’s when Jen looks at me with a coy smile and says, “no matter what she does, go up, I’ll beat her.” Confidence!! Jill took a good shot at 292, but it was too much, and she only got it about halfway up. Now it was Jen’s turn to give the New World Record a try. It was probably one of the best competition lifts I have seen her perform. A good solid pause, followed by an explosive press, three white lights and the National Championship and the World Record was hers again. She immediately decided to go for a forth attempt, to up the World Record. After some discussion, 303 pounds was the weight chosen. That’s 2 and ¼ times Jen’s 132 lb. bodyweight, 21 pounds or 10% more than the World Record, and 70 lbs. more than she lifted at her first Nationals 4 years ago. The crowd started going crazy when they saw 303 go up on the board. Ralph Young one of Jen’s World Teammates, and a World Champion himself, wrote 303 on her back, in chalk, to give her some added motivation. She walked out gave a couple of her patented yells, laid down on the bench and killed the weight. It flew up, almost to fast though. It was going up so fast that Jen said she got ahead of the bar and had to adjust and get back under it, before she slammed it to the top. Unfortunately, two of the judges saw it as a hitch and gave her red lights and the lift did not count. The crowd still went crazy, just to see someone so little push over 300 lbs. that easy. Message sent!! The Nationals was a great competition. The night after the meet was a great time out with the friends and family that had come from all over the country to watch Jen compete. It is special to have people that are so supportive. Jen would like everyone who was there and all of those who support her along the way to know that they have a little piece of the Record as well. Also, a special thanks goes to SportPharma and Inzer for all their continued support and sponsorship.
click for video provided by Hung Pham |
|
Special Thanks to Richard Weed and Carol Latta Chromosome Donors
|
