RVA Open 2026
After setting a baseline at Tough Temple last July, I was ready to make some improvements at my next weightlifting meet. My new coach Sarah Tyler had me create a Plan A, B and C for the meet which was as follows:
Plan A | Snatch: 32 | Clean & Jerk: 40 | Total: 72 | 11kg/18% improvement
Plan B | Snatch: 30 | Clean & Jerk: 38 | Total: 68 | 7kg/11% improvement
Plan C | Snatch: 28 | Clean & Jerk: 36 | Total: 64 | 3kg/5% improvement
This is how the plan lined up with reality:
The Snatches
What's frustrating is that I did 27kg with beautiful form while I was warming up. Then I came out and did this monstrosity:
The judges were nice enough to give it to me. But after that my heart was racing and I tried to get my head on straight, but clearly 30kg is my white whale.
Attempt 1:
Attempt 2:
We decided that next time we go straight to 31kg. But I was on track for Plan C so I was okay!
I rested up to get ready for…
The Clean & Jerks
The women in my group were lifting fast! I had to speed through my warm-up but I liked it that way. Not my best form, but good enough.
I came out strong with a solid lift at 36kg:
I tried to recreate it with 38kg but no dice:
Instead of trying 38kg, I insisted on trying for 40kg. A little ambitious but I’m glad I did it:
Takeaways
I achieved Plan C. That's still something!
I am strong enough to lift these weights and more, my untrained technique is holding me back.
I have to remember that when I started olympic weightlifting, I was struggling to do these moves with a 10kg bar! I couldn't even hold a full size 15kg bar.
And the gag is…
I got a GOLD MEDAL!
As the only 35 - 39 year old female in the 63kg class who participated in the RVA Open and totaled, I win!
I will never be the best at anything, but at least I can be the best person who showed up.
Is there something you could try to show up for? Tell me about it.
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