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<p><strong>By Mike McCombs</strong></p>
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<p>C.J. Cummings got on a plane Monday morning in Savannah and headed for Hawaii, a step closer to his Olympic dream in Tokyo.</p>
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<p>Cummings will continue to train with Coach Ray Jones in Hawaii in a “bubble” with his teammates, including two heavy sessions, before heading to Tokyo on July 22.</p>
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<p>“The delay and the delay and the delay with C.J., it’s like enough already,” Jones said. “It’s finally going to happen for him. I’m happy for that.”</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/RES3856.jpg"><img src="https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/RES3856-1024x731.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-43942"/></a><figcaption>C.J. Cummings. Photo by Bob Sofaly.</figcaption></figure>
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<p>The 21-year-old weightlifter is scheduled to compete in the men’s 73-kilogram weight class beginning at 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28. That means to watch him compete in Beaufort, you’ll have to get up early because of the 13-hour time difference.</p>
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<p>Cummings’ group will compete at 6:50 a.m. Beaufort time. The competition can be streamed live at NBCOlympics.com or can be watched via tape delay at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 28.</p>
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<p>After competing, Cummings should return July 31 to Hawaii, where his mother, Savasha, and several other family members will be waiting for him. Cummings’ father, Clarence Cummings Sr., won’t be making the trip for health reasons.</p>
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<p>Though C.J. Cummings was featured in a billboard on U.S. 21 across from Stokes Toyota, Clarence Cummings Sr., said he wasn’t aware of any local plans for a watch party of any sort.</p>
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<p><em>Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.<br></em><br><em>Top photo: A billboard on U.S. 21 wishes Beaufort’s C.J. Cummings good luck in the upcoming 2021 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Photo by Bob Sofaly.</em></p>
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