Cottonera lifters steal the show

The Malta Weightlifting Association held the Malta Open Championship at the Cottonera Sports Complex last weekend.

The competition commenced with the youths where 15-year-old Rodmar Pulis hoisted a personal best both in snatch with 73kg and in the clean and jerk with 95kg, thus totalling 168kg. Pulis secured top spot on 211 points.

In the junior category, the MCAST Naxxar club made a clean sweep. Christian Saliba produced a winning total of 199kg for 242 points, second-placed Ryan Aguis had a total of 143kg for 189 points and Clyde Sammut lifted a total of 135kg (155 points) to finish third.

The senior category witnessed the domination of the Cottonera weightlifters. Noel Coleiro lifted an impressive total of 232kg with 277 points to place first. He was followed by Clint Grech with a 200kg total (268 points).

Grech came very close to shattering the 69kg category clean and jerk national record with 116kg but unfortunately, the overhead bar was not fixed properly. In third place, Stephen Borg recorded a total of 177kg with 207 points.

Cleavan Cutajar also fared well as he totalled 127kg, a personal best. Emanuel Schembri, who is preparing for the Commonwealth Games, snatched 110kg but did not finish the competition after failing on the 150kg clean and jerk.