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HPA weightlifters shine at masters championships

The Maui News

Wailuku-based Hawaii Performance Athletics sent seven competitors to the 2022 USA Weightlifting Masters National Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 28-May 1.

All seven HPA competitors finished in the top eight overall in their respective divisions, Lori Kikuchi and Debbie Wright won overall division titles and three HPA athletes combined to set five national records.

All seven competitors also qualified to compete in the world masters championships later this year.

Maui’s Kikuchi, competing in the women’s 55-year-old age division at 55 kilograms, won the snatch (61 kilograms), clean-and-jerk (70 kg) and overall titles. Her snatch and clean-and-jerk marks were both division records.

Wright of Hawaii island competed in the women’s 65 age division at 81 kilograms. She won the snatch (33 kg), clean-and-jerk (43 kg) and overall titles, making all six of her lifts and setting division records in the snatch and clean-and-jerk.

The other record-setter was Maui’s Valerie Matsunaga, competing in the women’s 65 age division at 55 kilograms. She was second in the snatch (28 kg), won the clean-and-jerk (40 kg), a record mark, and was second overall.

Maui’s Eric Chang finished third overall in the men’s 45 age group at 67 kilograms. His marks were: snatch (77 kg) and clean-and-jerk (100 kg).

Oahu’s Jewelyn Cabigon, competing at women’s 45 in the 71-kilogram class, finished fourth in each overall, snatch (56 kg) and clean-and-jerk (74 kg) while making all six of her lifts.

Linda Nguyen and Christopher Alcantara, both of Maui, each finished eighth overall in their divisions.

Nguyen was 10th in snatch (43 kg) and eighth in clean-and-jerk (67 kg) competing in the women’s 40 age division at 59 kilograms.

Alcantara made all six of his lifts competing at men’s 35 age division at 73 kilograms. He was ninth in snatch (88 kg) and sixth in clean-and-jerk (125 kg).

A total of 13 Maui HPA athletes have qualified to compete at the upcoming Youth and Junior National Championships, June 23-29 in Las Vegas.

Tai Ferrer, Kaylee Yagi, Amaya Vaituulala, Lia Vanderpoel, Trevor Tanaka, Ryan Padron, Hanale Kauhaahaa, Thomas Borge, Kamaehu Corpuz, Lance Morikawa Jr., Klohe Pursley, Michael Rayray and Kuola Watson have all made the cut for junior nationals.

HPA coaches accompanying the youth and junior athletes will be Vernon Patao, Ryan Towata, Kats Kikuchi, Lori Kikuchi, Tiffany Lee, Lawrence Kauhaahaa, Nguyen and Matsunaga.

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