The Malta Weightlifting Association started the year with another exceptional showing as various lifters showcased their talent in a competition where an impressive 42 national records were broken in all categories.
Vital points were at stake as the meeting came just ahead of the final selection for the European Small Nations tournament in San Marino and the European Championships in Croatia.
The U-13s were the first group in competition. Here, the confident Rylee Borg completed her lifts with a total of 137 points.
Kyle Camilleri was second and Nikolai Muscat third with 129 and 77 points, respectively.
In the women’s youth and juniors event, Shazel Gusman lifted a total of 125kgs which yielded her 152 points.
Gusman was in a class of her own on the day as she established 16 national records in both youth and junior divisions in the process.
Even though still participating in the youth class, Gusman succeeded in obtaining a top-three finish when her results were compared with those from the senior level.
Rebecca Fitz lifted 113kg, and broke five records, on her way to finishing second behind Gusman as Shelby Vassallo, with a total of 98kgs (and five records), was third.
Yazmin Zammit Stevens registered the best scores for the women’s senior division at the Cottonera Sports Complex meeting after lifting 170kgs, scoring 218 points and setting three national records.
An increasingly improving Elisia Scicluna was second thanks to her total of 156kgs for 185 points.
Scicluna also managed write her name in the record books for the first time during the competition.
For sure, the most significant lift of the day belonged to the promising Kieran Mifsud as he managed the biggest total ever recorded in domestic competition – 280kgs.
Mifsud, still only a junior lifter, had a 125kgs Snatch and 155kgs in the Clean and Jerk. He also set eight new national records on the way with 310 points to his name.
That means a massive 24-point improvement on his previous competition.
Andy Grech managed 198kgs and 250 points for the runner-up spot and Ryan Degiorgio was third after having lifted 149kgs for a score of 196 points.
Mifsud, 17, topped the list in the event for senior male lifters, followed by Kyle Micallef (260kgs and 306 points) and Matthew Camilleri (242kgs and 291 points).
Connor Buttigieg managed 214kgs, Michael Fava 198kgs and Maxims Dobrovolskis 192kgs.