The Arnold

Sammi Nichols and Donny Shankle competed on March 3rd and March 2nd respetively at the Arnold in Columbus, Ohio.  Donny Shankle competed in the World Team trials portion of the meet.  He missed his opener Snatch at 160kg, then came back with successfull attempts at 160 and 165.  He made an easy opener of 196 in the clean and jerk to make the World Team and remain in the top spot in the USA in his weight class, then had two disapointing misses with 201kg.  The first time he missed the jerk, unusuall for Donny, then the second time he missed the clean forward.

Sammi had the meet of a lifetime, 6 for 6, with 4 lifts that were personal records and another one that tied a previous record.  She opened with a 60kg snatch (tied her old PR) then did 2nd and 3rd attemps fo 62 and 64, both new personal records.  In the clean and jerk, she opened with 72kg, the only lift of the meet for her that was under her previous record.  76kg on the second attempt was a new PR, and 80kg on the third was beyond anything she had even attempted to jerk in training.  More significantly, all her lifts were virtually perfect, no struggling to stand or stabilize, everything perfectly in the groove.  Congrats Sammi!!!