This year’s Ontario Weightlifting Association’s Young Hercules Championship event at the University of Toronto Mississauga featured lifters from eleven clubs, including the seven member contingent from the North Bay Norsemen and Valkyries. Each year the contest serves as the provincial finals in the youth age category (13-17 years) and includes a separate competition for developing lifters in the 10-12 year old range. In the mini-Hercules competition on Saturday, for lifters in the 10 to 12 year old grouping, Griffin Lamarche of North Bay was the top scoring boy. Lamarche, representing 705 CrossFit, weighed in at 39 kilos and totalled 51 by way of 25 kilos in the snatch and 26 in the clean and jerk. He was successful with all six of his attempts, and when his technique marks were added to his total he finished with 108.35 points.
In the female portion of the Young Hercules contest all three Valkyries were winners in their respective weight divisions. Zara Sheppard started off by taking the 58 kilo category gold. Sheppard made 46 kilos in the snatch and 61 kilos in the clean and jerk for a 107 total. In the next category, 63 kilos, Olivia Talbot finished first with top lifts of 52 in the snatch and 61 in the clean and jerk to total 113 kilos. At 69 kilos, Mia Phillipe won the gold by making 37 kilos in the snatch and 53 kilos in the clean and jerk.
In the male section of the competition, the Norsemen had two lifters in the lightest classes, 50 and 56 kilos. Fifteen year old Steve Forget topped the 50 kilo group by doing 34 kilos in the snatch and 49 kilos in the clean and jerk for a total of 83 kilos. The silver went to Gabriel Sava of Variety Village with a total of 82. Trot Davis of the Belleville Bayside team was third with 80 kilos. Norsemen newcomer Callum Craft finished fifth with lifts of 30 kilos in the snatch and 39 in the clean and jerk. Two Norsemen were entered in the heavier divisions and both were able win gold. At 77 kilos Hunter Edmunds broke all his personal records by making 60 kilos in the snatch and 76 in the clean and jerk for a total of 136. Teammate, Dylan Hall- Archibald topped the over 94 kilo class with lifts of 58 in the snatch and 70 in the clean and jerk. Archibald made all six of his attempts on the day.
At the conclusion of the contest some special awards were handed out. The best female lifter trophy went to 63 kilo champion, Olivia Talbot of North Bay. For the third year in a row the Norsemen and Valkyries won the pennant as the top team. The scoring is based on the best finishes of the top two females and four males on each squad. The locals finished with 161 points, Bayside Barbell of Belleville was second with 101 points, and Variety Village third with 75.
