The Malta Weightlifting Association, in conjunction with the Kunsill Malti għall-Isport, have just organised the Malta Open at the Cottonera Sports Complex.

The U-11 category was dominated by Rylee Borg and Blake Vassallo. Competitors at this age are not assessed on weight lifted but rather on the quality of their technique.

Emmersin Bugeja, with 129 points, won the U-14 event ahead of Malcolm Camilleri (107) and Kirstin Coleiro (106).

Nicole Gatt (youths), Marilyn Grech (seniors) and Vicki Kerr (women overall) were the winners of their respective classes.

The youth competition for men was won by Thomas Farrugia (183) with Hayden Farrugia (170) in second place and Joran Farrugia (149) third.

The event for juniors saw Rodmar Pulis in a class of his own.

Not only did he win the section honours, with 274 points, but he also went on to establish four new national records when his initial 120kg lift was topped with another remarkable effort of 123kgs.

Unfortunately, Pulis failed in his third attempt with 125kgs.

His other two records were on the 215kgs and 218kgs totals.

The competition for senior lifters saw Noel Coleiro (274 points) on the highest step of the podium, just ahead of Matthew Muscat Inglott (263) and Clint Grech (253).

There was another tight contest for the title of Overall Male Lifter.

Coleiro secured this prestigious honour just 0.3 of a point better than Pulis.

Competition was run by Alfred Ellul Mercer. He was assisted by Simon Brincat, Gordon Cachia, Ramona Borg, Andrea Caruana, David Saliba, Stephen Borg and Gayle Caruana.