By Ron Lane
Despite being performed in countries throughout the world and contested at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, the sport of weight lifting gets little or no publicity. However, when the Olympics occur every four years, the sport of weight lifting always gets a good public following via the media. What Australian sport lover, will ever forget that day in August 1984, when a big Australian fisherman, Dean Lukin, virtually stopped the nation, to watch him perform the Clean and Jerk that was to win Australia’s first ever Olympic Gold Medal.
However, here in Noosa we have a very successful Barbell Olympic Weightlifting Club that focusses on the Olympic lifts, the Snatch, and the Clean and Jerk: the event that was to write the 130 kg Aussie fisherman, into the pages of our sporting history and also gain him a place in the Australian Hall of Fame. Established in 2017 and situated in Lionel Donavan Drive Noosaville, this club whose members train under the watchful eye of CrossFit 4566 coaching crew, is definitely starting to make people sit up and take note.
On entering the club, one cannot help but notice a one- word motto written on the walls, that tends to draw the eye. On reading the word and feeling the atmosphere that dwells within the four walls, it really conveys the heart and soul of the club. UNCONQUERED. In the world of sport this single word says it all.
The club, which continues to train under the strict health regulations, has just completed a lengthy three months training cycle, culminating in two weekends of state titles competition: competition where the athletes have the opportunity to perform on the states’ biggest stage. For our local Noosa club, the results tell us that it was their best performance, resulting in a swag of medals and many accolades: accolades which were justified by the teams’ overall training and competition achievements.
First on the program was the U/15 and youth state titles, held in Milton Brisbane. In Day 1 14-year-old Kaiya Marsh won the gold in the F59kg category with a combined total of 113 kg. She Snatched 48kg and Cleaned and Jerked 65kg. That total also won a silver medal in the U/17 age group. Day 2, 13-year-old Alana Castle, went very well winning double gold- in the U/15 and U/17 in the F76kg class, with a combined total of 113kg-Snatched 50kg and Cleaned and Jerked 63kg.
Taj Marsh rounded out the competition with a massive performance, winning gold in the very competitive M89kg youth division, with an Australian and Queensland record total of 265kg-snatched an Australian and Queensland record 118kg, and Clean and Jerked another Australian and Queensland record of 147kg. To cap off a great performance, he was also named, the Best Male Lifter of the State titles. This resulted in him qualifying for the Oceanic Games, youth Commonwealth and youth Worlds. Regarding state team selection ,Alana Castle, Kaiya Marsh and Taj Marsh were chosen to represent Queensland at the National Titles in Tasmania early next month.
One week following the State Titles, it was the Masters turn to take centre stage. The team got off to a good start when Wendy Camble competed in the 60 – 64 yr. F71, snatching 33kg and Clean and Jerk 36kg, totalling 69kg to win the silver medal. Next away was Scott Gig Mark in the M109kg catogary, snatching 78kg and clean and jerking 94kg for a total of 172kg. This saw Scott win gold and thus qualify for National and Commonwealth Masters championships later this year in Cairns. For Charlene Whitton, who was competing for the first time for her club, her first outing was very impressive: winning the gold medal in the 50-54yr F76KG, snatching 38kg and clean and jerking 51kg for a total of 89kg.
To wrap up Day1, Mel Lumb won the gold in the 50-54yr F71kg with a snatch of 45 kg and clean and jerk 63 kg (narrowly missing a massive 70kg) for a total of 108kg. Day 2 was for Dianna Worrell, also, her first time on the competition platform. Once her nerves and excitement were under control, her performance in the 40-44yr F76kg– snatching a PB of 40kg- and clean and jerk 50kg for a PB total of 90kg– saw Dianna come home with a silver medal.
With club photographer Bowen Stewart in attendance to record, “Moments by Bilbo’’the outstanding results achieved by this team, will be forever recorded in the files of the clubs’ history. Once again, another small club nestled away in a side street of our community, has made themselves known at State level with an outstanding performance, their best ever. So, why keep it quiet?
When athletes, regardless of their chosen sport, arrive home having set State and National records, plus three selected in the State team, it is only right that we take the moment to extend a very big welcome home and well done, to all members of the Noosa Barbell Club and the Crossfit 4566 coaching crew.
