USAWA

By John McKean

SCHMIDT BARBELL CLUB RECORD DAY 2019

On the most beautiful, bright blue sky summer day of the year in this rain laden Eastern sector, my grandson Andraes, newcomer mother-of-three Beth Skwarecki, and I arrived at Scott and Kathy Schmidt’s beautiful Ohio home for their first annual record day meet. Scott was just leaving for a vitals run for the meet picnic later, but we were greeted by the always friendly & welcoming Rev. Peeter Pirn. Peet was all set to lift, but was summoned away with the joyous news of his grand daughter being born ,right before his opening attempt! So, our hostess Kathy Schmidt opened the meet with some great record lifts, before scurrying back to the kitchen,to prepare us a feast !!

Scott’s home gym proved to be a fantastic venue for an all-round meet, with enough equipment and sound lifting platform for all our needs. Even had a big open door to breathe the fresh morning air, and to listen to the soothing sounds and refreshing smell of neighbors mowing their lawns!Old USAWA pals  Stevan Santangelo from Kentucky and Cleveland’s stalwart Dennis Mitchell soon arrived to add to the growing excitement and spirited conversation.

Lady lifters Joanna Jones and Beth Skwarecki dazzled us with their picture perfect form on world record lifts, despite both being newcomers to the USAWA! Johanna, a long time mover& shaker of the Ohio Olympic lifting crowd, executed an extremely efficient women’s world record snatch-from-the-hang of 52.5 k ,among several other great pulls &pushes. Thirty Eight year old Beth, just over the 60K weight class, amazed everyone by electing to begin with the tricky James lift, then the bent press! Her years of competition in the rugged sport of Roller Derby has given her perfect balance, flexibility, and coordination, because her picture-perfect bent press even had ole pro bent presser Dennis Mitchell falling out of his official’s chair! I believe it was the highest IAWA bent press ever performed by a female, yet Beth will soon be closing in on a bodyweight attempt!

Can’t forget the teen lifters  -as grandson Andraes won’t let me!! At 13 ,taking a break from summer training with jr high football, Dra wanted to join the lists of his Dad,Sean, and Uncle Rob, when they lifted in the 13 and under category, and actually outdid the (now) “old men” of the family!Heck, these days the little lad (well maybe not so little at 212 pounds bwt!) can even outdo the granddad patriarch (yeah, that’d be me!) of the family!

Of course, our master age lifters put on their usual exciting shows! Newcomer 66 yr old Klaus Gondosch did some excellent overhead lifting, and meet director Scott (hard to believe this youthful looking ,always smiling guy is even master’s age!!), looking trim and fit, just bulldozed a few more records! Stephen Santagelo took the morning off from the organic farm in Kentucky to smash special grip lift records, showing the power that can be developed from daily milking the chickens, and such ! Dennis Mitchell defied age(87!) ,as usual, to  place 5 more record lifts in the books!

The Schmidt meet picnic in a spacious back yard, under tall cooling trees, only added to the great mood and fellowship that we all enjoyed!  I had to apologize to Beth and Dra on the drive home for my non stop talking (yeh, I know none of you can believe that of ME !) due to the high adrenaline level that Scott’s contest supplied! Hopefully this will be the first of many Schmidt events  -even inspired me to maybe restart USAWA record days in our Pittsburgh vicinity!

MEET RESULTS:

2019 Schmidt BBC RD
Schmidt’s Barbell Club
Weslake, Ohio
July 13th, 2019

Meet Director: Scott Schmidt

Officials (3-official system used): Scott Schmidt (meet directer and USAWA official) , Dennis Mitchell (IAWA Tech Chairman and USAWA official), John McKean ( IAWA official and past IAWA General Secretary). All lifts recorded were passed with all three white lights!

Beth Skwarecki  age 38 bwt 62.5 k div female 65 k
James Lift  71 Pounds
Bent Press (pulled up two handed) LEFT hand 55 Pounds
Bent Press (two hand pull) RIGHT hand  77 Pounds
Two hands pullup (overhand chin-up) 33 pounds hanging at waist

Dennis Mitchell age 87 bwt 62.95 k div M ,85+, 65k
Stiff leg deadlift  60K
Vertical bar Deadlift, 1 inch bar, 66.5 pounds (right hand)
Vertical bar deadlift ,1 inch bar, 66.5 pounds (left hand)
One hand Dumbbell swing (right)  25 pounds
One hand Dumbbell swing (left)  25 pounds

John McKean age 73 bwt 69.7k div 70k 70+
Lurich lift  304 pounds
Peoples deadlift  304 pounds

Stephen R. Santangelo age 67 bwt 72.05 k div 65+ 75k
One hand pinch grip strict left 52 pounds
One hand pinch grip strict right 62 pounds
Pinch Grip deadlift left 142 pounds
Pinch grip deadlift right 142 pounds
Two hands pinch grip deadlift 310 pounds

Klaus Gondosch age 66 bwt 75.0 k div 75k 65+**
Clean and press 125 pounds
Snatch from hang 99 pounds
Deadlift 12 inch base 253 pounds
Dumbbell (right) clean & jerk 65 pounds
Dumbbell (left) clean & jerk 65 pounds

Kathy Schmidt age 61 bwt 85.0 k div female 60+ 85k**
strict reverse barbell curl 50 pounds
Barbell straddle lift  114 pounds

Andraes McKean age 13 bwt 97.2 k div 13 & under, 100k
2 hands cheat curl 88 pounds
deadlift with 12″ heel spacing 210 pounds
power row  142 pounds
reverse grip bench press 110 pounds
alternate grip bench press 130 pounds

Scott Schmidt  age 66 bwt 101.0 k div 65+ 105k
2″ vertical bar (left) 70 k
2″ vertical bar(right) 70k
bent over (power) row 105k

Joanna Jones age 43 bwt 103.9k div female 40+ 105k
continental to chest 70k
bench press hands together 83.6 pounds
snatch from hang 52.5 k
2 hands anyhow  80 pounds

Rev. Peeter Pirn  “best trophy” of the meet, had to leave early on the birth of his grand daughter!!