The future of American weightlifting brightens. When the 2023 International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) Junior World Weightlifting Championships (JWWC) wrapped up on Nov. 23, Team USA racked up one of its best performances in years.
According to a Nov. 24 presser published by USA Weightlifting (USAW), the American Junior contingent departed Guadalajara, Mexico, with 18 cumulative medals in the snatch, clean & jerk, and Total — as well as more than a handful of new personal and American records.
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The men’s team bagged nine medals overall: six golds, two silvers, and a bronze. American Junior women earned nine medals: four golds, three silvers, and two bronzes. Team USA’s total medal tally was matched only by Japan.
Team USA at 2023 JWWC | Top Performers
It may not be as big of an event as the World Weightlifting Championships, but the competitive field in Guadalajara was as strong as ever; 229 weightlifters from 44 countries attended the event, including some of America’s best and brightest. Here are a few of the best performances from Team USA:
Isabella Rodriguez (49KG)
In her Junior Worlds debut, 49-kilogram Isabella Rodriguez set new one-rep max personal records in both lifts and the Total. She secured a silver medal finish overall and won gold in the clean & jerk with a 99-kilogram best result.
Gabriel Chhum (61KG)
Mr. Gabriel Chhum is no stranger to the international weightlifting stage but broke new ground by ascending to the top of the podium for the first time in the 61-kilogram division. Chhum won gold across the board, snatching 117 kilograms, clean & jerking 145 kilograms, and Totaling 262 kilos.
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Chhum made a marked improvement in his year-over-year performance at the JWWC; last year, as a 55-kilogram athlete, Chhum finished 10th overall.
Katie Estep (64KG)
In her sixth appearance on an IWF stage for Team USA, Katie Estep made great strides in her performance and won the 64-kilogram division overall. Estep is a Youth (2021) and Junior World Champion, having narrowly defeated runner-up Charlotte Simoneau of Canada by a single kilo in the Total.
Elijah Hein (89KG)
The States may have a superstar on their hands in 89-kilogram Elijah Hein, who won his category outright in his international debut with a 351-kilogram Total. Hein would have departed Mexico with three golds adorned around his neck, but his 158-kilogram snatch was bested by a single kilogram by Albanian athlete Ertjan Kofsha.
Ella Nicholson (76KG)
Ella Nicholson is on fire. After winning the 2023 Youth World Weightlifting Championships in April, Nicholson took her talents to Guadalajara and put them to use to win a silver medal in the Total with a 227-kilogram result.
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To contend with the best Juniors in the world while still being a Youth athlete speaks to Nicholson’s tremendous potential in the coming years.
A Strong Future
All 20 of the Junior athletes who traveled to the 2023 JWWC performed remarkably for the States. Almost all athletes set new personal records, and many returned home with a medal or two or three.
With weightlifting officially confirmed for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, USA Weightlifting will certainly aim to shepherd these athletes in the years to come. Expect to see more than a few of them on the Olympic stage before too long.
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