Team USA Named for Pivotal Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualifier

Some of America's strongest athletes will be one step closer in punching their tickets to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in April, as USA Weightlifting named its team today for the rescheduled 2020 Pan American Championships, a gold qualifying event for this summer's Olympic Games.

Sidelined in 2020 because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the rescheduled 2020 Pan American Championships are set for April 18-25 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The competition is a gold-level qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the first eligible competition for the final Olympic qualifying period as determined by the International Weightlifting Federation.

"We are so excited to get our athletes back on the platform," said Mike Gattone, USA Weightlifting Senior Director of Sport Performance and Coaching Education said. "For some of our athletes, this will be their first opportunity to finish up their qualification requirements for this summer's Olympic Games."

CJ Cummings (73kg, Beaufort, SC, Team Divergent), Harrison Maurus (81kg, Auburn, WA, Power & Grace Performance), Wes Kitts (109kg, Knoxville, TN, California Strength), Caine Wilkes (+109kg, Indian Trial, NC, Little League Weightlifting), Jourdan Delacruz (49kg, Wylie, TX, Power & Grace Performance), Mattie Sasser (64kg, Grandview, MO, Uplift), Kate Nye (76kg, Berkley, MI, Team Hercules), Mattie Rogers (81kg, Orlando, FL, Catalyst Athletics) and Sarah Robles (+87kg, Desert Hot Springs, CA, Team Houston) are all eligible to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Athletes selected for the Olympic Team will be determined by our published Selection Procedures. The final Olympic qualification period runs through the end of May with the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 scheduled for July 23-August 8.

The U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team, comprised of four men and four women, is expected to be named by mid-June.

With the safety of our athletes, coaches and staff paramount, USA Weightlifting is undertaking significant measures to protect the USA delegation. Each member will undergo COVID-19 testing prior to departure from the United States and will undergo further testing prior to leaving the Dominican Republic and upon returning to the United States. Furthermore, each member of the delegation will be assigned a single hotel room. The delegation is mandated to wear masks and additional medical personnel will be on hand.

Live stream and further information will be available closer to the start of competition.

Team USA Women (Name, Bodyweight Category, Hometown)

Cicely Kyle, 45 kg, Pensacola, FL

Jourdan Delacruz*, 49 kg, Wylie, TX

Hayley Reichardt, 49 kg, Leesport, PA

Taylor Wilkins, 59 kg, McKinney, TX

Mattie Sasser*, 64 kg, Grandview, MO

Meredith Alwine, 71 kg, Virginia Beach, VA

Kate Nye*, 76 kg, Berkley, MI

Jessie Stemo, 81 kg, Milwaukee, WI

Mattie Rogers*, 81 kg, Geneva, FL

Sarah Robles*, +87 kg, Desert Hot Springs, CA

Team USA Men (Name, Bodyweight Category, Hometown)

Alex Lee, 67 kg, Chandeler, AZ

CJ Cummings*, 73 kg, Beaufort, SC

Christian Rodriguez Ocasio, 81 kg, San Ramon, CA

Harrison Maurus*, 81 kg, Auburn, WA

Jordan Cantrell, 89 kg, Clovis, CA

John Downey, 89 kg, Corona, CA

Nathan Damron, 96 kg, San Ramon, CA

Wes Kitts*, 109 kg, Knoxville, TN

Keiser Witte, +109 kg, Phoenix, AZ

Caine Wilkes*, +109 kg, Indian Trail, NC

*=Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Eligible

Press Contact:

kevin.farley@usaweightlifting.org

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