On Feb. 27, ETSU’s Stoneage Weightlifting Club had a powerful showing at the USA National University Championship, one of the largest strength competitions in the nation. With their eyes set on the competition, the team achieved their goal remarkably.
Stoneage Weightlifting Club Captain Caleb Weakland shared the details of the competition and the club.
They competed with three teams: women’s, men’s and coed. The men’s team placed second, the women’s earned fourth and the coed secured third. In addition to the team’s success, a few athletes received the All-American Honor. Those athletes are Alexa Estevez, Trevor Owens, Nathan Prokop, Will Prokop, Will Easley, Caleb Weakland and Violeta Martino.
Weakland shared that Martino is the club’s first international student, being from Paraguay. On March 11, Martino competed at the Junior Pan American Championship in Cuba.
“She is very well accomplished and we’re very grateful to have her on the team,” said Weakland.
Martino’s success has inspired the club to open tryouts for international students, but tryouts are not open to the public. Interested students must apply and will be selected based on their application.
“We’re already back in the gym preparing for our next competition,” said Weakland.
To prepare for the competition, the club worked out seven times a week, spread over four days. To compete, individuals contend in two movements: clean and jerk and snatch. Clean and jerk is performed in two movements, while snatch is taking the bar from the ground and over the head in one movement.
Weakland credits the team’s success to their coach, Dr. Satoshi Mizuguchi. “We have 18 athletes on the team, and he is there watching every single lift of every single athlete,” said Weakland.
Stoneage will host the 2025 Handle Barbell Invitational on April 12, inside the ETSU Mini Dome. This summer, the team will compete in the national championships in Colorado Springs, Colo. from June 21—29.
