Moorestown, NJ In the first competition for the SHU Weightlifting team, three Pioneers qualified for the Collegiate National Weightlifting Championships.  The event held on Saturday, November 14, and hosted by the East Coast Gold Weightlifting Team was the first competition of the season for the team, which was formed earlier this year.

 

The following lifters qualified

AJ Bonistall (West Harrison, NY) -105kg class

Paul Carrier (Milford, NH) +105kg class

Chris Rivera (Newton, NJ) -85kg class

 

Rivera, a former javelin thrower, lifted 90kilos (198#) in the snatch, just missing 93kilos (204.6lbs). He then went 3 for 3 in the Clean & Jerk portion of the competition, concluding with a successful lift of 113k (248.6#) and a 203k total.  Up to that time, Rivera had not even attempted this weight in his life.

 

Bonistall, the captain of the team, also lifted 90kilos and missed 93kilos in the snatch.  Looking to top his previous best and make the qualifying total, Bonistall made 124kilos (272.8#) in the Clean & Jerk for his second attempt. After a successful attempt, he moved up two more kilos to 126k (277.2#) and made it as well. AJ’s total of 216k bettered his previous total of 206k made at the SHU Open in April.

 

Carrier, now lifting in the superheavyweight class, could only manage a successful attempt at 97kilos in the snatch. Needing 121kilos to qualify for the Championships (a weight he had never attempted before), he had his work cut out for him. Following a success at 115k to open the Clean & Jerk portion of the meet, he then moved to the 121k attempt but barely missed the jerk. After collecting himself, he repeated the attempt for his final lift of the day and successfully completed the lift.

 

Bonistall and Carrier bested their previous personal records in both lifts. For Rivera, this was his first competition. Fellow Pioneer, Christopher Kardos, also competed in the snatch portion of the contest and set a new personal best before withdrawing with an injury.

 

No team score was kept for the meet.

 

Bonistall, Carrier, and Rivera join Senior Alexandra Bavasi (Flagstaff, AZ) who previously qualified for the Championships with her performance at the SHU Open in April.  The championships, to be held in Northern Michigan University in April, 2010, is the most competitive collegiate meets in the nation, with over 100 athletes from all over the country representing institutions from coast to coast.

 

The SHU Weightlifting team will be in action again on Saturday December 5, as they take on Crossfit Stamford in a non-sanctioned dual meet to be held in Stamford, Connecticut.