Tag Archives: Abe Smith

2024 National Championship Meet Results

The 2024 USAWA National Championship was held in Columbia, Missouri last week. Bill Clark, who hosted the meet, writes:

THE CHAMPIONS REIGN –  BETH AND ABE RETAIN TITLES

There was little doubt after the initial event that Beth Skwarecki and Abe Smith would retain their national titles – and so it was – with 18 lifters on hand – the same as the meet drew in 2023.

Clark’s Gym, the meet sponsor for the second year in a row and the fifth time dating back to 1995, 1997 and 2001, won the team title by sweeping the first six places on the men’s side and two of the top four women.

Randy Smith, who came from Upper Michigan, was the men’s runner-up, followed by a pair of newcomers to the Nationals – Philip Marlin in third and Jeff Wenzel in fourth.

Lisa Gore, a gym member for less than two months, took third behind Beth and Stacy Todd. Allison Lupo was a close fourth.

The four Todd kids – two girls and two boys from the homes of Eric and Chris Todd – put on a great demonstration of both skill and strength and showed the flexibility and feel for the game that predicted a bright future – maybe in the Olympic Lift game as well as the odd lifts.

One of the negatives of the championship weekend was the failure of Kevin Fulton to free himself from weather-related farm problems to make it to the meet that was to honor him as a founding leader in the USAWA – the guy for whom the Fulton Bar was named.

Two of the old-timers who have been around for more than three decades were on hand. John Carter finished sixth overall and Denny Habecker, from Lebanon, Pa., was in seventh place. Habecker was the oldest lifter in the meet at 81. He brought along a guest – Steve Gardner, the long-time leader of the IAWA-UK – the British version of the USAWA.

Results are in the attached document.

USAWA-Nationals-2024-resultsDownload

Athlete of the Year

By Eric Todd

Abe Smith awarded Athlete of the Year

Abe Smith awarded Athlete of the Year

 

Athlete of the year is described as follows 

This award is for the individual who has accomplished the most athletically within the last year in the USAWA. Top placings at the Nationals and World Championships should figure in high. Also, participation in other Championship Competitions such as the Heavy Lift Championships, the Grip Championships, the Club Championships, the OTSM Championships, the Team Championships, or the National Postal Championships could factor in.  Participation in elite IAWA events such as the Gold Cup should make an influence on earning this award as well.

For the second year in a row, this accolade goes to Abe Smith.  I have known Abe for around 20 years, and have been beaten in competitions by Abe for about 20 years.  Any of you that know Abe know that he is in contention to win just about any meet he enters.  Since nationals last year, Abe won the second quarter postal.  He was fourth by formula in the Clark’s Gym vs frank’s Barbell Club postal challenge.  He completed all the lifts at the Clark’s Birthday weekend meet, and won three events outright. He was overall best lifter in the 2022 Andy Goddard World Postal and was second in the National Postal Championship.  Abe won the Zercher Strength classic, and was fourth in the first quarter postal.  Abe is always a tough competitor, and is very deserving of this recognition.  Congrats, Abe!

Century Club

By Eric Todd

 

With the most recent update to the record list by our new records director, John Strangeway, I thought it would be a good opportunity to update our century club.  There was no movement whatsoever in the women’s list.  Though the number of records changed somewhat in the men’s list, the top 12 stayed in the exact same order as they were in the last update in January of 2020.  I was able to jump from number 15 to number 13 by adding 20 records.  The biggest leap was John Strangeway going from 22nd to 16th by adding 36 records to the list.  Aiden Habecker jumped a few spots from 28th to a three way tie at 24.  Aiden added 13 to his total.  Jeff Ciavattone made the jump from 27th to the three way tie at 24th by adding 12 records to his total. (Aiden and Jeff share 24th place on our list with Bob Geib).  One thing of note is that big Frank made it to three centuries for this update.  The biggest news is that we have a new member of the century club with this update.  Abe Smith, of Clark’s Gym in Missouri, has achieved century club status after a couple of decades of record setting.  Abe comes in with 108 record. If you think you should be listed as a member of the Century Club, or if you think you are getting close and would like for me to keep an eye on when you might be joining us, please reach out to me.  My email address is SalGuimino@yahoo.com.

2nd Quarter Postal

By Denny Habecker

MEET RESULTS:

2ND QUARTER POSTAL MEET

SmithPP

Abe Smith putting up a big clean and push press of 257 pounds.

We had a great turnout for the Postal again this quarter.  Abe Smith was the top male this quarter and Elizabeth Skwarecki  led the women. Clarks Gym and K.C Strongman each had 6 lifters participate followed by Dino Gym and Habecker’s Gym with 4 each. Thanks to everyone who participated .

MEET RESULTS

2nd Quarter Postal
April 1 thru June 30, 2020

The Lifts: Curl- Cheat, Reverse Grip, Snatch- Dumbbell, One Arm, Clean and Push Press

MENS DIVISION

Abe Smith            – 38   – 184 Lbs.    –  190  – 131 -L   – 257    – 578     –  541.99

John Strangeway  – 42  – 206.4 Lbs.  –  205  – 120- L    – 215    – 540      – 488.39

Eric Todd             – 45   – 253 Lbs.     – 200  – 105 -R    – 210    – 515     –  430.71

Tony Hose           – 51   – 227 Lbs.     – 165  –  85  -R    – 180    – 430      – 401.84

David DeForest   – 60   – 195 Lbs.      – 135  –  85 – R    – 145    – 365      – 400.84

Al Myers            – 53   –  225 Lbs.      – 155   -100 – R    – 135   – 390      – 372.70

Barry Bryan       – 62   – 186.6 Lbs.    – 100  – 74.4- R    – 150    – 324.4   – 371.04

Barry Pensyl      – 72  –  148 Lbs.       – 100  –   54 – L     – 90     – 244      – 364.52

Chad Ullom       – 48  –  220 Lbs.       – 155   – 100 -R     – 135   – 390       -360.69

Chris Todd        – 40  –  273 Lbs.       – 180  –   95 – R     – 190   – 465       – 356.74

Denny Habecker -77 –  183.8 Lbs.     – 105  –  35  – R     –  99    – 239       – 336.27

Aidan Habecker – 16  –  214 Lbs.    – 121.25 –  70 – R     –  99     – 290     –  275.14

LaVerne Myers   – 76  – 224 Lbs.      –  95     –  45 – L     –   75     – 215     –  267.28

Leroy Todd        – 9    – 70  Lbs.      –  30      – 15 – R      – 35     –  80       – 232.05

Dean Ross        – 77  – 215 Lbs.      –  75      – 40 – L      – 65     – 180       – 231.87

Lance Foster     – 54 – 349 Lbs.       – 100     – 55 – R      – 125   – 280       – 217.99

Bill Clark          – 87  -208 Lbs.       –  22      – 10 – R      – 22     – 54         –  82.17

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Elizabeth Skwarecki – 39 – 146.8 Lbs. – 108  – 66- R  –    118     -292        – 316.06

Sylvia Stockall        – 62  – 140 Lbs.   – 77    – 50 – R –    100    – 227        – 311.65

R.J. Jackson           – 58  – 106 Lbs.   – 80    – 50  -R  –    85     – 215        – 298.82

Lynda Burns          – 45  – 175 Lbs.   – 70     – 45- L    –   95     – 210        – 215.09

Phoebe Todd         – 9    – 94 Lbs.     – 37.5  – 18- R    –    40     – 95.5       – 197.39

Janet Thompson   – 62   – 180 Lbs.   – 60     – 20- R     – 55      – 135        – 157.73

Kylie Smith          – 13   – 146 Lbs.   – 47     – 20- R     – 47      – 114        – 154.55

Crystal Diggs       – 34   – 164 Lbs.   – 50     – 30- R     – 55       -135        – 135.79

Officials:

Abe Smith             – Bill Clark & Dave DeForest
Tony Hose            –  Bill Clark & Dave DeForest
Leroy Todd           – Eric Todd & Chris Todd
Phoebe Todd        – Eric Todd & Chris Todd
Kylie Smith          – Bill Clark & Dave DeForest
John Strangeway – Lance Foster
Eric Todd            –  Chris Todd
Dave DeForest    – Bill Clark
Al Myers            – Chad Ullom
Chad Ullom        – Al Myers
Chris Todd         – Eric Todd
LaVerne Myers   – Al Myers
Aidan Habecker  – Denny Habecker
Dean Ross         – Al Myers
Lance Foster      – John Strangeway
Janet Thompson – Bill Clark
Crystal Diggs     – R.J. Jackson

Lifters with Non-Certified Officials:

Barry Bryan
Barry Pensyl
Denny Habecker
Bill Clark
Elizabeth Skwarecki
Sylvia Stockall
R.J. Jackson
Lynda Burns

LIfter of the Month -Abe Smith

By Al Myers

The lifter of the month for September goes to Abe Smith. Abe made his return to the USAWA in a big way, winning best lifter in the USAWA Old Time Strongman Championships. The OTSM Championship was hosted and promoted by Eric Todd.  A very strong field of 10 competitors entered this Championship event in the USAWA this year.  Abe has been involved with the USAWA for many years, since he was a teenager.  In his early years he was very involved with meets held in Clark’s Gym.

Congrats Abe on being the USAWA Lifter of the Month!