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2004 BENCH AMERICA 2
RESULTS: BENCH: 319lbs. 1ST PLACE OVERALL FEMALE BEST FEMALE LIFTER $2500 WINNER MEET DESCRIPTION: Bench America is a new concept in powerlifting. It offers money for the best benchers in super weight classes for the men as well as for a single women’s class. Jen had elected not to compete in Bench America 1 in 2003, because it was not drug tested. In 2004, for Bench America 2, the organizers decided to add drug testing which brought Jen on board with the concept. What would happen is the Wilkes Formula would be used to equal all the women out regardless of bodyweight. Essentially, the meet would try to determine who is the pound for pound best female bencher in America. To add to the concept the promoters would get sponsorship to televise the event as well as pay the athletes. Although Jen had competed a lot over the last year, and was in the middle of the adoption process, she wanted this meet badly. She put all her effort into training for this event. This was to bring all the best female benchers in the country together regardless of federation to see who was the best pound for pound. In addition, first prize was going to be $2500, which isn’t bad for a days work. Ten of the best female benchers were ready to lift in a competition that was held in an arena outside of Chicago. The meet was held in conjunction with an entire fitness expo that lasted 3 days. This brought a great crowd and a lot enthusiasm, which led to an electric event. The women’s class would start off the event. Having to qualify for the event limited the field to 10 lifters. During warm ups, one of the girls who was warming up on the same bench as Jen apparently decided not to compete. She didn’t look injured, I think she just knew watching the weights that were being lifted in warm ups that she was not going to be competitive. Jen warmed up great and knew early that she was going to have a great day. The warm ups were interesting because the crowd was allowed to watch them while enjoying the fitness expo. You felt a little like a professional athlete with people watching and pointing while the warm ups were going on. The meet was held in the middle of the arena on a raised lighted stage, which added to the atmosphere of the event. It was going to be difficult to follow the numbers of the other athletes during the meet secondary to all the weight classes being combined. Instead of trying to figure out what the pound for pound numbers would be, the decision was made to just go for max weights and hope it would be enough to win. Jen would start with her heaviest opener ever at 296lbs. It was like a warm up, crazy how easy it went up. She was definitely ready and I think the atmosphere of the meet was getting her pumped up and keeping the nerves away. This was evident back stage between lifts where she was joking and goofing around. Her second attempt would be 314lbs, equal to her personal best and the IPF World Record. She was jacked up when she went on stage for this one. Giving her patented yells before lying down on the bench. The crowd was into it and Jen did not disappoint. Again, the weight flew to the top with an easy lockout. The call was for 319lbs on the third attempt. It looked like a carbon copy of the second attempt, with just a slower lock out. With no one except a super heavyweight being able to lift more weight than Jen it was assured that the pound for pound title would be hers. Jen did indeed win the Bench America 2 crown and the $2500 dollars. She got interviewed on stage and received one of those huge TV checks as an award. In the end when they did the formulas Jen had out benched the best in America by nearly 35 pounds. It was a great day, but apparently Jen’s competitive urge was not over for the day. After the awards, the Marines took the stage as part of the fitness expo to hold a pull up competition. Jen got talked into trying to beat them at their own game. Women were only supposed to do chin hangs for time, as the Marines explained to Jen. Jen told them she was going to do overhand pull ups against them in the competition. They said okay and helped her up onto the pull up bar. She started cranking out pull-ups like they were nothing. Soon the crowd caught on and started counting out loud. They picked up around 8 or 9 and got louder as she continued. The Marines just stood there dumb founded as she passed 20, then 25 and with the crowd screaming out the numbers she finished with 28. Most of the Marines would then not even give the pull ups a try after that, and for those who did none would get more than 20. Not a bad day, a personal best bench, $2500, and whipping a bunch of Marines at their own game. |
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Special Thanks to Richard Weed and Carol Latta Chromosome Donors
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