The 2022 USA Weightlifting National Championships week started in Las Vegas on June 25th with the last day of the contest on July 3rd. This event is set up with the Youth competing for the first three days then Juniors for the next three and finally the Seniors for the last three days.
One standout athlete from this competition is Olivia Reeves who put on quite a performance that made people on Team USA take notice. Reeves competed in the Junior category set a new American record of 138 kg in the clean & jerk.
Let’s look at her amazing performance below:
Olivia Reeves Sets New American Record at the 2022 USAW National Championships Week
On June 29th 2022, 19 year old American weightlifter Olivia Reeves set a new American record in the 71 kg weight class with a clean & jerk of 138 kg!
Reeves’ amazing performance resulted in winning a gold medal in the Junior National Championships during the 2022 USAW National Championships Week. Her total of 248 kg blew the competition out of the water with the next closest a whopping 45 kg lower.
Let’s look at Olivia’s full performance below:
Snatch:
- 1st Attempt:104 kg
- 2nd Attempt: 107 kg
- 3rd Attempt: 110 kg
Clean & Jerk
- 1st Attempt: 130 kg
- 2nd Attempt: 134 kg
- 3rd Attempt: 138 kg | New American Senior Record
Total: 248 kg
At only 19 years old and with two years to go before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Reeves might stand a chance to be on the roster for Team USA as her lifts are competitive with the current top athletes in the 71 and 76 kg class.
Watch her unbelievable clean & jerk below:
WHO IS OLIVIA REEVES?
Olivia Reeves is an American weightlifter that got her start in weightlifting via CrossFit as her mom owned a CrossFit gym in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After 3 years of CrossFit training, she realized that she liked lifting weights more than CrossFit so she transitioned to the competitive sport.
Reeves has been at the top of her class for the past few years and holds all the records in the 16-17-year-old Girls division in the 71 kg class as well as the clean & jerk record in the 63 kg class for ages 14-15.
Last year Reeves won gold and became the Junior World Champion in the 71 kg weight class at the 2021 IWF World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Reeves made it to the podium in all four of her international competitions. Her last international competition was the 202 IWF World Championships in Greece where she finished with a silver in the 71 kg class with a total one 1 kg shy of the gold winner.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Olivia Reeves is on a tear and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. We think she has what it takes to represent the USA at the 2024 Paris Games if she keeps up this pace. Be sure to keep an eye out for Reeves over the next year to see her progress, we know we will!
Kiel DiGiovanni
Author