USAWA

by Al Myers

(The following meet report was written by Bill Clark in the June 1995 issue of the Strength Journal, Vol.VI No. 5)

Kerry Clark, Art Montini …..USAWA’s Best

There were records galore and outstanding performances abounded at the USAWA National Championships on June 3-4 in Columbia, Mo.. but Kerry Clark came thru with the most outstanding performance of them all.  A small but talented field put an amazing total of 164 records in the book during the two-day, nine-event affair put on by Clark’s Gym…but the 555-pound neck lift by Kerry Clark had to be the outstanding lift of the weekend.

Kerry, a 31-year-old research analyst in the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, beat her own neck lift mark by 152 1/2 pounds and was 55 pounds better than any male lifter in the meet, regardless of age or size. In addition, Kerry moved atop the all-time women’s list in the hip lift with 1300 pounds and put a total of nine records in the book in the open 80 KG class.  She joined with teammate Dale Spry to do a 500-pound two-person deadlift – the first male-female lift to go on the USAWA record list.

The hand-and-thigh record was shattered by co-meet director Joe Garcia with a 1600-pound effort which jumped off the floor.  The mark is the best ever, regardless of bodyweight in the USAWA and stands seventh on the list of past efforts in Dave Willoughby’s “Strength Athletes”. Only one of those six lifts occurred in the past 85 years and none, in all probability, were done under the more strict rules which govern the USAWA…which puts Joe up there with the legends of our sport such as Louis Cyr, et al.

Kerry won the women’s “Best of the Best” title and the men’s “Best of the Best” went to 67-year-old Art Montini on an age-adjusted basis.  Montini set age group records in all nine lifts and added a left-hand deadlift mark of 275 pounds on record day.  Art edged out 40-year-old Bob Hirsh and 37-year-old John Carter fro the “Best” title.  Carter made an easy 2300-pound hip lift for openers, then jumped to 2600 on his second attempt. He failed twice.  Had he taken the 2525 needed to break his old mark, he would have added the “Best” title…but John wanted that 2600 more than an award.  “Next time!” he said.

The 25-lifter field was the smallest since the first year of the USAWA Championships, but had four first-timers in the field – two from Clark’s Gym. Thanks to a number of those who made cash contributions to the meet treasury, the meet broke even financially. Clark’s Gym sends the deepest appreciation to those who kept Garcia and Bill Clark from digging deep. 

MEET RESULTS

1995 USAWA National Championships
June 3-4, 1995
Columbia, Missouri

Meet Director: Bill Clark and Joe Garcia

Lifts: Continental to Chest and Jerk, Deadlift Heels Together, Pullover and Push, Zercher Lift, Neck Lift, Clean and Press Heels Together, Bench Press Feet in Air, One-Hand Deadlift, Hip Lift

Men: Top Ten Placings
1. Art Montini, Pennsylvania
2. Bob Hirsh, Ohio
3. John Carter, Missouri
4. Dale Friesz, Virginia
5. Jim Malloy, Ohio
6. Denny Habecker, Pennsylvania
7. Howard Prechtel, Ohio
8. Joe Garcia, Missouri
9. Chris Waterman, Ohio
10. Randy Joe Holden, Kansas

Women: Top Two Placings
1. Kerry Clark, Missouri
2. Noi Phumchaona, Ohio

Best Lifter Awards:
Women Open – Kerry Clark
Women Master – Noi Phumchaona
Men Open – Bob Hirsh
Men Master – Art Montini
Men Junior – Adam Geib