A couple has an uplifting experience

North Bay's Glenn Ogletree performs a clean-and-jerk at the Ontario Open. Photo Submitted.

The Ontario Open Weightlifting Championship, held Saturday in St. Thomas, was a great competition for the husband and wife team of Glenn and Melody Ogletree. Indeed, they both won their respective weight classes and reached the qualifying standard for next May’s 2008 Canadian Senior Championship. At the close of the contest they also accepted the Best Team Award on behalf of the North Bay Norsemen/Valkyries.

Melody Ogletree was the winner in the female 53 kilo class with lifts of 55 kilos in the snatch and 75 in the clean and jerk. Her total of 130 tied the long standing provincial senior record held by teammate Melissa Ladouceur.

Valkyries, Kayla Turner and Samantha Scully, were 3rd and 4th, respectively, in the 58 kilo class. Turner put in a total of 129, on lifts of 61 in the snatch and 68 in the clean and jerk. Scully, meanwhile, made 51 and 65, for a total of 116 kilos.

On the men’s side of the competition Andrew Uyeda was first up for the locals in the 62 kilo division. The 19- year-old Canadore student finished second in the class with lifts of 73 in the snatch and 92 in the clean and jerk. Later on Glenn Ogletree ran away with the 77 kilo title, posting best marks of 102 in the snatch and 128 in the clean and jerk.

Probably the most anticipated competition took place in the 85 kilo class where Buck Ramsay of the Mississauga Sabaria Club and Nick Roberts of the Norsemen went head to head. Both weighed in right on the limit and posted the exact same mark in the snatch - 135 kilos. In the clean and jerk, Roberts opened up with a 167 success, while Ramsay started and failed at 168. Ramsay then made 168 on his second attempt to take the lead. Roberts countered with 172, but missed it twice to give Ramsay the title. With nothing to lose, Ramsay called for 175 and made an impressive success to finish with a 310 total.

Richard Found of the Norsemen was 5th in the same division with lifts of 105 in the snatch and 140 kilos in the clean and jerk. Found’s total qualified him to lift in the 2008 Senior Nationals.

Later in the competition, Jason Partridge was the winner in the +105 kilo division. Partridge had a bit of trouble in the snatch only managing his opening weight at 105 kilos. In the clean and jerk he managed to hoist 140 to take the title by a margain of 35 kilos over Mathew O’Brien of the Variety Village team of Scarborough.

The next major contest on the Ontario Weightlifting Association’s calendar is the 2007 Provincial Juniors being held in North Bay at the YMCA on December 1st.

Submitted to BayToday.ca