By Mike McCombs
The Island News
Beaufort’s C.J. Cummings returned to competition Saturday, Feb. 17, at the 2024 European Weightlifting Federation Senior European Championships at Arena Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The 23-year-old weightlifter snatched 151kg, lifted 190kg in the Clean & Jerk and totaled 341kg in a 4-for-6 performance in the B session of the 89kg weight class.
The total was Cummings’ highest in his last three meets and just six kilograms shy of his career best – 347kg.
The Beaufort High graduate lifted 143kg to start, missing on 148 and finishing with a succeessful 151kg Snatch. In the Clean & Jerk, Cummings was successful n his first two lifts – 181 and 190kg – before failing at 195.
Bulgaria’s Karlos Nasar swept gold in the 89kg class with lifts of 176, 215 and 391kg. There were 21 lifters in all, though Cummings was among a number who weren’t eligible to medal. Had he been eligible, his total would have placed him ninth.
According to the USA Weightlifting website, the U.S. was approved to participate in the European Championships in December due to acknowledged safety and logistical challenges related to the Pan-American Championships in Caracas, Venezuela. Team USA athletes were not eligible to win medals at the European Championships, but their results count toward Olympic qualifying rankings.
“USA Weightlifting is extremely thankful that IWF President Mohammed Jalood and European Weightlifting Federation President Antonio Conflitti are allowing Olympic-eligible Team USA athletes to compete in the 2024 European Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, instead of the Pan American Championships in Caracas, Venezuela. We’re appreciative that all parties involved have prioritized our delegation’s safety and understand the significant logistical challenges our team faced in traveling to Caracas for the competition. We’re additionally thankful for the assurance that results earned at the European Championships will count for Olympic qualifying,” USA Weightlifting said in a statement in a response to the International Weightlifting Federation decision.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
