Team USA Ready for IWF World Cup, Final Olympic Qualifier
PHUKET, Thailand - USA Weightlifting is sending 18 athletes to Phuket, Thailand, for the IWF World Cup (March 31-April 11). The competition is the final Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifier, and athletes are expected to go all out as just six athletes from each country can qualify for the Games. Team USA currently has one man and five women ranked top-10 in their respective Olympic Qualifying Ranking weight category. Current team leaders are Hampton Morris (61 kg, ranked 7th), Olivia Reeves (71 kg, 2nd), Jourdan Delacruz (49 kg, 4th) and Mary Theisen-Lappen (+81 kg, 5th). A trio of athletes will only weigh-in in Phuket to justify a mandatory appearance to remain Olympic eligible as they nurse their bodies: Delacruz, Mattie Rogers (81 kg), and Wes Kitts (102kg). The competition will stream via Weightlifting House TV.
In addition to the Olympic hopefuls, a number of lifters are on the trip gaining international experience. Bella Rodriguez (20 years old, 55 kg) is making just her second international trip and first at the senior level after lifting 72/99/171 at the 2023 IWF World Junior Championships to earn silver. Estelle Rohr (28 years old, 76 kg) will also represent the U.S. for the second time. She previously competed in Havana, Cuba, at the 2022 XL Torneo Int. "Manuel Suárez In Memoriam" where she earned bronze for lifting 96/123/219. Shayla Moore (28 years old, 59 kg) is representing Team USA for the third time. It is her first trip since 2022 when she won the 55 kg weight class at the Pan-American Championships (83/110/193). Moore went on to finish fifth at the IWF World Championships (86/108/194) that year.
Barbend: 2024 IWF World Cup Preview + How To Watch
IWF World Cup Weight Categories
Women: 45 kg, 49 kg, 55kg, 59 kg, 64 kg, 71 kg, 76 kg, 81 kg, 87 kg, +87 kg
Men: 55 kg, 61 kg, 67 kg, 73 kg, 81 kg, 89 kg, 96 kg, 102 kg, 109 kg, +109 kg
2024 IWF World Cup Team
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Olympic Qualifying Rankings
Men
- 61 kg: Hampton Morris, 7th, 297 kg
- 71 kg: Caden Cahoy, 17th, 329
- Ryan Grimsland, 327 kg
- 89 kg: Nathan Damron, 12th,
- CJ Cummings 341 kg
- 102 kg: Wes Kitts, 13th, 388 kg
- +102 kg: Caine Wilkes, 21st, 390
- Alejandro Medina, 385 kg
Women
- 49 kg: Jourdan Delacruz, 4th, 200 kg
- 59 kg: Taylor Wilkins, 10th, 221 kg
- 71 kg: Olivia Reeves, 2nd, 262
- Meredith Alwine, 233 kg
- 81 kg: Mattie Rogers, 10th, 252
- Kate Vibert, 247 kg
- +81 kg: Mary Theisen-Lappen, 5th, 283 kg
Last Time Out
Team USA had a strong showing in Bulgaria as guest lifters at the European Championships. Hampton Morris broke eight American records and jumped up to seventh in the Olympic Qualifying Rankings at 61 kg; Taylor Wilkins snatched 99 kg at 59 kg to set a 1 kg personal record; Caden Cahoy set a nine kilogram total personal record in a 4-for-6 day that featured a 144 kg snatch and 185 kg C&J; Olivia Reeves tied her senior snatch American record (115 kg) and was the top lifter at 71 kg by 14 kg; Meredith Awline finished fourth at 71 kg and went 4-for-6, including 3-for-3 in the C&J; and CJ Cummings lifted 151/190/341 at 89 kg to record his highest total over his last three competitions. Caine Wilkes earned a 390 kg total after lifting 176/214. His 176 kg snatch was his heaviest dating back eight competitions to the 2021 USAW National Championships, and his 390 kg total was his best since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where he finished ninth overall. Mary Theisen-Lappen earned a 271 kg total via a 116 kg snatch and 155 kg clean & jerk to finish eight kilos ahead of her weight class.
Team USA Competition Schedule (All times Eastern)
April 2
5:00 a.m. ET | 61A Hampton Morris
8:00 a.m. ET | 55A Jourdan Delacruz*, Bella Rodriguez
April 3
2:30 a.m. ET | 59C Shayla Moore
8:00 a.m. ET | 59A Taylor Wilkins
April 4 | 2:30 a.m. ET
73B Caden Cahoy, Ryan Grimsland
April 5 | 3:30 a.m. ET
89D CJ Cummings
April 6 | 8:00 a.m. ET
89A Nathan Damron
April 7
Midnight ET | 102D Wes Kitts*
8:00 a.m. ET | 71A Meredith Alwine, Olivia Reeves
April 8 | 5:00 a.m. ET
76A Estelle Rohr
April 9
Midnight ET | 81C Mattie Rogers*
5:00 a.m. ET | 81A Kate Vibert
April 10 | 5:00 a.m. ET
+87A Mary Theisen-Lappen
April 11 | 2:30 a.m. ET
+109B Alejandro Medina, Caine Wilkes
* = only weighing in