Athabasca’s Jessica McKenna placed third in the novice category at the Olympic Power Fitness Invitational in Edmonton May 31.
The Grade 12 Edwin Parr Composite student competed against 10 or so other novice lifters in two styles of lift: first the snatch, then the clean and jerk.
“I could have lifted more in the snatch, but overall, I think it went well,” said McKenna.
While McKenna was successful lifting 39 kilograms in the snatch, she was unable to lift 42 kilograms after two tries, which would have been a personal best.
“I just had issues getting underneath the weight,” she said.
In the clean and jerk, she had three successful lifts: 49 kilograms, 53 kilograms and 55 kilograms.
Despite these successes, McKenna’s coach, Michael Mountford, said he’d like to focus on improving McKenna’s clean and jerk. He said McKenna has the leg strength to increase the weight she’s lifting in the clean and jerk by five to 10 kilograms.
“I’d rather see her increase towards getting that weight than worry about a few more kilograms in the snatch,” he said.
Of her struggles with the snatch at the competition, he said, “I’m not worried about that.”
Mountford said the third-place finish is especially impressive when you consider McKenna didn’t have much time to train in the last five months due to school trips and a bout of illness.
“But in the last month, we managed to get her into competition shape,” he said.
McKenna heads to the University of Northern B.C. in Prince George in the fall with a focus on environmental sciences or planning. She has found a couple of weightlifters who will be able to assist her there, but she will continue to adhere to a training program Mountford devises for her.
“She’ll go compete in B.C. and still be attached to us,” said Mountford, referring to the Athabasca Weightlifting Club.
Her goal? “To lift the red weights, which is in total with the bar 65 kilograms,” said McKenna.
Her top weight at the moment is 55 kilograms; however, said Mountford, “Her strength can give her the ability to clean 65.”
She’s already on her way: relative to seven months ago, “She’s increased her total 15 kilograms,” said Mountford.
Even officials at the Edmonton invitational took notice of her improvement, Mountford said.
“Mentally, she’s tough in being able to go out and do it on competition day,” he said.
