Team USA Scores Record 45 Medals at Pan American Championships
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by USA Weightlifting
Team USA is back stateside getting some much-deserved rest after a spectacular Pan American Championships. Bringing home a record 45 medals, American athletes shined on the stage of the 100th Pan Ams in Bariloche, Argentina, the first qualifying event of the year for next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
"We are incredibly proud of Team USA's performance at the Pan American Championships and their achievement of winning 45 medals," said Mike Gattone, USA Weightlifting Senior Director of Sport Performance. “This is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience of our athletes, coaches, and support staff.”
The 45 medals, including 20 gold, put Team USA at the top of the medal table. Team USA women scored 23 medals consisting of 9 gold, 10 silver, and 4 bronze. Of the women who put up a total, no athlete finished lower than fifth place.
Team USA women also took home first place in the team standings.
Jourdan Delacruz (49kg, Power & Grace Performance, Atlanta, GA) was named best lifter for her performance in the 49kg, where she swept gold and set a new American Record in clean & jerk with a 112kg lift.
Meredith Alwine (76kg, Team O.C., Altamonte Springs, FL) and Mary Theisen-Lappen (+87kg, 1Kilo, Eau Claire, WI) took home the Pan American Championship for their respective bodyweight categories in Argentina.
Danielle Gunnin (59kg, Atlas Weightlifting, Monroe, GA) rewrote the American Records in Bariloche. She broke her American record of 98kg in the snatch by lifting 100kg. Combined with her 120kg clean & jerk, she set a new American Record total of 220kg. She took home silver in total, bested by Tokyo 2020 Gold Medalist Maude Charron of Canada.
For the men, Team USA took home second place in the team standings, but 22 medals in all. Of the 22 medals, 11 were gold, 9 were silver, and 2 were bronze. A remarkable five American men won the right to call themselves Pan American Champions.
Hampton Morris (61kg, unattached, Marietta, GA) defended his title, while Nathan Damron (96kg, California Strength, San Jose, CA), Ryan Sester (102kg, unattached, Gresham, OR), Wes Kitts (109kg, California Strength, Knoxville, TN), and Alejandro Medina (+109kg, Vero Beach Weightlifting, Miami, FL) all won the gold in total for their respective bodyweight categories.
Team USA Medalists included:
Women
Jourdan Delacruz - 49kg - Power & Grace Performance - Atlanta, GA
Snatch: Gold (86kg)
Clean & Jerk: Gold (112kg - American Record)
Total: Gold (198kg)
Hayley Reichardt - 49kg - Garage Strength - Leesport, PA
Snatch: Silver (86kg)
Clean & Jerk: Silver (111kg)
Total: Silver (197kg)
Danielle Gunnin - 59kg - Atlas Weightlifting - Monroe, GA
Snatch: Silver (110kg - American Record)
Total: Silver (220kg - American Record)
Taylor Wilkins - 59kg - Vero Beach Weightlifting - Sebastian, FL
Snatch: Bronze (96kg)
Kate Vibert - 71kg - Power & Grace Performance - Atlanta, GA
Snatch: Silver (110kg)
Clean & Jerk: Silver (138kg)
Total: Silver (248kg)
Olivia Reeves - 71kg - unattached - Chattanooga, TN
Snatch: Bronze (108kg)
Clean & Jerk: Gold (139kg)
Total: Bronze (247kg)
Meredith Alwine - 76kg - Team O.C. - Altamonte Springs, FL
Clean & Jerk: Gold (136kg)
Total: Gold (238kg)
Sarah Robles - +87kg - Team Houston - Desert Hot Springs, CA
Snatch: Gold (120kg)
Clean & Jerk: Bronze (151kg)
Total: Silver (271kg)
Mary Theisen-Lappen - +87kg - 1Kilo, Eau Claire, WI
Snatch: Silver (114kg)
Clean & Jerk: Gold (158kg)
Total: Gold (272kg)
Men
Hampton Morris - 61kg - unattached - Marietta, GA
Snatch: Gold (123kg)
Clean & Jerk: Gold (158kg)
Total: Gold (281kg)
Ryan Grimsland - 73kg - Mash Elite - Lewisville, NC
Snatch: Silver (141kg)
Clean & Jerk: Silver (182kg)
Total: Silver (323kg)
Caden Cahoy - 73kg - Jacksonville Strength - Jacksonville, FL
Clean & Jerk: Bronze (171kg)
Nathan Damron - 96kg - California Strength - San Jose, CA
Snatch: Gold (150kg)
Clean & Jerk: Silver (190kg)
Total: Gold (340kg)
Ryan Sester - 102kg - unattached - Gresham, OR
Snatch: Silver (165kg)
Clean & Jerk: Gold (207kg)
Total: Gold (372kg)
Wes Kitts - 109kg - California Strength - Knoxville, TN
Snatch: Gold (165kg)
Clean & Jerk: Silver (200kg)
Total: Gold (365kg)
Caine Wilkes - +109kg - unattached - Matthews, NC
Snatch: Bronze (172kg)
Clean & Jerk: Gold (212kg)
Total: Silver (384kg)
Alejandro Medina - +109kg - Vero Beach Weightlifting - Miami, FL
Snatch: Silver (173kg)
Clean & Jerk: Silver (212kg)
Total: Gold (385kg)
The impressive haul of 45 medals is the most won by the United States ever, breaking the last record from 2019 Pan Ams where athletes won 43 medals. Team USA’s performance last week was a vast improvement from their 2022 effort, where Team USA claimed only 27.
“The success in Argentina shows that our team is on a strong trajectory leading up to the 2024 Olympics in Paris,” Gattone said. “We are excited to see how this momentum will continue to build as we prepare for the next Olympic qualifying event."
The next Paris 2024 qualifier on the calendar is International Weightlifting Federation Grand Prix I in Havana, Cuba set for June 8-18.
USA Weightlifting named the following athletes to Team USA for Cuba:
Team USA Men:
Hampton Morris - 61kg
Brian Reisenauer - 61kg
Caden Cahoy - 73kg
Ryan Grimsland - 73kg
Nathan Damron - 89kg
CJ Cummings - 89kg
Wes Kitts - 102kg
Ryan Sester- 102kg
Aaron Williams - +109kg
Alejandro Medina- +109kg
Alternates:
Travis Cooper - 73kg
Beau Brown - 89kg
Team USA Women:
Jourdan Delacruz - 49kg
Hayley Reichardt - 49kg
Danielle Gunnin - 59kg
Taylor Wilkins - 59kg
Meredith Alwine - 71kg
Olivia Reeves - 71kg
Kate Vibert - 76kg
Mattie Rogers - 81kg
Sarah Robles - +87kg
Mary Theisen-Lappen - +87kg
Alternates:
Shayla Moore - 59kg
Mariah Park - 71kg
