United States Sending 23 to Pan American Youth Championships
by Preston Fekkes, USAW Communications
COLORADO SPRINGS – The 2025 Pan American Youth Championships run November 10-15, in San Luis de Potosí, Mexico. The United States is sending 23 athletes to compete across the U15 and U17 age-group championships, including 10 athletes who featured at the combined IWF Youth & Junior World Championships this past May. Competition is expected to stream live via the Pan American Weightlifting Federation’s YouTube channel and/or their Facebook page.
The U.S. sent 28 athletes and earned 60 medals in Guayaquil, Ecuador, at last year’s Pan American Youth Championships. This year’s team returns seven medalists and four top-5 finishers from 2024. Diego Yoo (49 kg) and Adelyn Jones (64 kg) each swept U15 gold and U17 silver. Jaedyn Orton (45 kg) swept U15 gold and earned U17 bronze in each lift and a silver in the total. Kaia Jacobs (+81 kg) swept U15 silver. Brynn Catalano (55 kg) earned U15 bronze in the snatch and total and silver in the clean & jerk while picking up a U17 C&J bronze as well. Chassity Del Balso (71 kg) earned bronze in the U15 clean & jerk and total, and Ireland Manor (71 kg) earned U15 snatch bronze. Kinsley Rodden (+81 kg) and Dryden Yates (67 kg) each finished fourth in U15, while Carter Sing (73 kg) and McKenzie Hatcher (71 kg) each finished fifth in their respective U17 age groups.
| Name | Age Group | Wclass | Hometown | Best Snatch | Best C&J | Best Total | Coaches Name | Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaedyn Orton | U17 | 48kg | Buford, GA | 62kg | 76kg | 138kg | Jance Footit | 5 Rings Barbell | jaedyndenae |
| Kinsley Rodden | U17 | 77+kg | Spring Hill, KS | 83kg | 109kg | 191kg | Whitney Rodden | Pioneer Weightlifting Club | kinsleyrodden87 |
| Elle Bays | U17 | 77kg | Saint Augustine, FL | 82kg | 105kg | 187kg | Chad Cahoy | Jacksonville Weightlifting | elle.bays |
| McKenzie Hatcher | U17 | 77kg | Wewahitchka, FL | 85kg | 104kg | 183kg | Aaron Paille | Full Send Oly | kenzie_lifts08 |
| Madeline Francescone | U17 | 58kg | Centerburg, OH | 75kg | 94kg | 169kg | Jonathan Raymond | Steadfast Barbell | madelinefrancescone |
| Brynn Catalano | U17 | 58kg | Baton Rouge, LA | 73kg | 90kg | 161kg | John Dorman | DSP Barbell Club | brynn.catalano |
| Adelyn Jones | U17 | 69kg | Grayslake, IL | 83kg | 105kg | 188kg | Ashley Avila | Forza Weightlifting Club | addiej.09 |
| Kaia Jacobs | U17 | 77+kg | West Linn, OR | 86kg | 110kg | 196kg | Katherine Brown | Heroic Barbell | Kaia.jacobs2028 |
| Chassity Del Balso | U15/U17 | 63kg | Omaha, NE | 77kg | 101kg | 177kg | Collin Del Balso | Conqueror Weightlifting | conquerorweighlifting |
| Gianna Van Hofwegen | U15 | 69kg | San Carlos, CA | 82kg | 103kg | 185kg | Kevin Doherty | Hassle Free Barbell Club | hasslefreebbc |
| Ireland Manor | U15 | 69kg | Pace, FL | 76kg | 95kg | 171kg | Aaron Denney | Mako Athletics | ireland.manor |
| Reagan Herchold | U15 | 58kg | University Place, WA | 67kg | 86kg | 152kg | Jon Acevedo | Puget Sound Weightlifting | reagan_herchold_ |
| Maryam Grafton | U15 | 58kg | Martinsburg, WV | 68kg | 87kg | 155kg | Alfred Rizk | East Coast Gold Weightlifting Team | maryamgrafton82 |
| Carter Sing | U17 | 79kg | Lebanon, MO | 128kg | 160kg | 288kg | Timothy Cole | Lebanon Barbell Club | Cartersing_73 |
| Rucker Johnson | U17 | 79kg | Oakland, CA | 125kg | 153kg | 278kg | Michael Jenkins | Speed Power Strength | spsgym |
| Roy Maher | U17 | 88kg | Canton, GA | 123kg | 158kg | 281kg | Andy Coggins | All South Barbell | N/A |
| Madden Mones | U17 | 94+kg | Milton, GA | 135kg | 162kg | 297kg | Tripp Morris | Ritual Weightlifting | madden.mones |
| Diego Yoo | U17 | 56kg | Fishers, IN | 86kg | 112kg | 198kg | Min Yoo | 3 Kings Weightlifting Club | N/A |
| Daniel Marquez | U17 | 71kg | Mission, TX | 106kg | 142kg | 247kg | Brittany Rucker | Bexar Barbell | danielmarquezlifts |
| Sebastian Stodel | U17 | 65kg | Saint Augustine, FL | 100kg | 133kg | 233kg | Sean Schoeneman | N/A | na |
| Andrew Weymer | U15 | 56kg | Benton, PA | 87kg | 107kg | 194kg | Kyle Fields | Fourteen Forty Collective | andrewweymer10 |
| Bradley Bates | U15 | 65kg | Lambertville, MI | 95kg | 126kg | 221kg | Todd Baden | Glass City Weightlifting | bradleybates318 |
| Dryden Yates | U15 | 71kg | Fort Stewart, GA | 101kg | 128kg | 228kg | Brittany Rucker | Bexar Barbell | your_avrage_weightlifter |
Jaedyn Orton is the top-ranked U17 female on this trip after lifting 61/73/134 at this year’s Youth World Championships to hit 100% of the U17 American A standard. Kinsley Rodden and Elle Bays are the second- and third-ranked female lifters at 98.45% and 98.42% of the A standard, respectively.
Carter Sing is the top-ranked U17 male at 101.13% of the U17 American A standard. He recorded a 268 kg total at 73 kg at the 2025 Youth Worlds. Rucker Johnson, the second-ranked male, beat Sing and third-ranked Roy Maher in the 79 kg session at the 2025 National Championships, hitting exactly 100% of the A standard at 278 kg. Maher hit 98.11% with a 260 kg total at 73 kg at the 2025 Youth Worlds.
Every U15 lifter hit their highest total at the 2025 National Youth Championships. Chassity Del Balso has the highest percentage (110.76%) of the U15 American A standard after hitting 175 kg at 63 kg. Andrew Weymer leads the way for the men with 188 kg at 56 kg for 103.87%.
2025 Pan American Youth Championships Team
Team Schedule
All times local (Central Standard Time)
Tuesday, November 11
5:00 p.m. - 56 kg - Diego Yoo, Andrew Weymer
Wednesday, November 12
12:00 p.m. - 48 kg - Jaedyn Orton
3:00 p.m. - 65 kg, 71 kg - Sebastian Stodel, Bradley Bates, Daniel Marquez, Dryden Yates
Thursday, November 13
12:00 p.m. - 58 kg, 63 kg - Madeline Francescone, Brynn Catalano, Reagan Herchold, Maryam Grafton, Chassity Del Balso
3:00 p.m. - 79 kg, 88 kg - Carter Sing, Rucker Johnson, Roy Maher
Friday, November 14
12:00 p.m. - 69 kg - Gianna Van Hofwegen, Ireland Manor, Adelyn Jones
3:00 p.m. - 77 kg - Elle Bays, McKenzie Hatcher
Saturday, November 15
12:00 p.m. - +77 kg - Kinsley Rodden, Kaia Jacobs
3:00 p.m. - +94 kg - Madden Mones