This past weekend, a group of students from Landrum High School made history by competing in the largest nationwide youth weightlifting event.

 

Team Landrum finished fourth overall in the country in both the 16-17 division and in the women’s division at the 2016 USA Weightlifting National Youth Championships. Reagan Bradley, Sarah King, Kaitlyn Painter, Chloe Smith, and Kimberly Raber finished in the Top 10 nationwide while Caitlyn Walker and Jessica Ravan finished in the Top 20.

 

Team Landrum member, Kim Raber, brought home a gold medal in the clean and jerk to finish second overall. Chloe Smith walked away with three bronze medals in the 44 kilo 17-17 class, becoming the first member of Team Landrum to medal at a national weightlifting event.

 

Landrum High strength and conditioning coach Chad Cooksey said, “The accomplishment Kim Raber received this past Sunday was a direct correlation to the amount of work she has put in. Since January, she has trained six days per week to make this a possibility and it couldn’t have happened to a better person. She has a legitimate shot to make the Youth Pan-American games this September which will be held in Santiago, Chile, which will be absolutely amazing!”

 

Team Landrum consists of seven Landrum High school members and one satellite member from Easley, S.C.:

14/15 Reagan Bradley – 44kg Class

14/15 Sarah King – 48KG Class

14/15 Jessica Ravan – 53KG Class

14/15 Caitlyn Walker – 58kg Class

14/15 Kaitlyn Painter – 69kg Class

16/17 Chloe Smith – 44kg Class

16/17 Kimberly Raber – 48kg Class

16/17 Anna Ringley – 75kg Class.

 

The USAW National Youth Championships is the premiere weightlifting event in the nation for athletes aged 17 years old and younger, and it typically attracts the most participants of any domestic weightlifting event worldwide.

 

-Submitted by Sandra Williams