Northern lifters heading to Junior Nationals

The Ontario Junior Weightlifting team will compete at the 2008 Junior Nationals in Lake Country, B.C. this coming weekend. Lifters were chosen based on performances in competitions from August to December of 2007. The top 6 males and 4 females, based on the Sinclair formula (bodyweight to amount lifted), were offered spots on the team. Local weightlifters from the Valkyries and Norsemen took 7 of the positions.

The two top scoring junior females in the province were Kayla Turner and Courtney Simkins of the Valkyries. The 19-year-old Turner is in her last year of eligibility and is hoping to medal in the 63 kilo class. Simkins, a grade 9 student at St. Joseph’s-Scollard Hall, is a strong medal prospect in the 58 kilo division. Tiana Walt of the Apollo Barbell Club of Belleville will also lift at 63 kilos with Turner. Ottawa’s Deanna Tariff had to cancel her trip at a late date, so Ontario will be one athlete short on the female team.

Andrew Uyeda, a first year Sport Conditioning student at Canadore College, will lift in the male 62 kilo division. According to the preliminary roster for the competition, Uyeda has the second highest ranking in that category. The same situation exists in the 77 kilo class where Norsemen Mat Fraser is ranked second behind Laurent Goyette-Demers of Quebec. David Staniszewski, a West Ferris Secondary School student - better known as a freestyle wrestler and Trojans power running back - may also have an outside chance for a medal in the 85 kilo class.

Ontario is sending two males in the +105 division, A.J. Wendover and Kirt Trahan, both of the Norsemen. Wendover was the runner-up that class at the 2007 Canadian Juniors and looks poised to take the title this year. The first year Laurier University student, and member of the Golden Hawks football team, holds all the provincial junior records in his weight class.

Arek Biedrizyki of the Toronto Weightlifting Club rounds out the Ontario team and will lift in the 69 kilo class. The provincial coaches, Melody Ogletree and Richard Found, are both from North Bay.

Submitted to BayToday.ca