Six gold medals for North Bay lifters

To mark the opening of the 2005-2006 provincial weightlifting circuit, the Blue Mountain Open was held Saturday in Collingwood. The 6th annual event drew close to 60 competitors of all ages, including 11 lifters from the local Norsemen and Valkyries teams.

The Valkyries finished with four golds, two silvers, and one bronze medal. Weight class winners included Bronwynn Sheppard at 44 kilos, Melissa Ladouceur at 53 kilos, Daralynn D’Angelo at 58 kilos, and Sarah Harling at 69 kilos. In the 58 kilo class, Samantha Scully finished a close second to Daralynn D’Angelo. Kayla Turner and Stavrula Liritzis were second and third respectively in the 63 kilo class. The 63 kilo champion was Jillian Halligan of Toronto.

In the history of the Ontario Weightlifting Association 8 year-old Bronwynn Sheppard became the youngest, and perhaps the lightest, athlete ever to take the competitive platform. Weighing in at only 25.7 kilos, and lifting uncontested in the female 44 kilo class, she managed to make all six of her attempts with good technique. In the snatch Bronwynn finished with 12 kilos and in the clean and jerk her top mark was 14 kilos.

Melissa Ladouceur lifted in the 53 kilo class and hoisted 55 kilos in the snatch and 70 in the clean and jerk. At the conclusion of the contest she was awarded the top junior (under 20) female award by formula. Daralynn D’Angelo, Bronwynn Sheppard’s mother, snatched 44 kilos and clean and jerked 60 to win the 58 kilo division and the top master (over 35) female trophy.

In the men’s competition the North Bay Norsemen had two golds, one bronze, and one fourth place finish. The weight class winners for the local club were Jeff McLellan at 56 and Mat Fraser at 69 kilos. A.J. Wendover was third in the +105 class and Dan Harling managed a fourth place finish in the tough 77 kilo division.

McLellan, lifting in just his second contest, was successful with 38 kilos in the snatch and 55 kilo in the clean and jerk to take the first place award in the 56 kilo division. Mat Fraser meanwhile broke all his personal best and won the 69 kilo title by a one kilo margin over Bret Beal of the GTA Weightlifting Club. Beal made 85 kilos in the snatch to Fraser’s 83. In the clean and jerk Beal made 95, 102, and finished with106, for a 191 total. In the clean and jerk Fraser made 100, 105, and 109, for a total of 192. A small consolation for Beal was the fact that he won the top junior male trophy. Beal weighed 66.3 kilos to Fraser’s 69 kilos and according to formula (kilos lifted and bodyweight) he had a better performance.

Mat Fraser is a resident of Burlington, Vermont who holds dual citizenship. He has chosen to attach himself to the Norsemen club in order to qualify for the Ontario team going to the 2006 Canadian Junior Championship. The Fraser family has a summer residence in Sharbot Lake Ontario, and Matt has spent the past month in North Bay training under the provincial junior coach, Larry Sheppard.

Submitted to BayToday.ca