The CFP3 Barbell Club found success in last weekend’s Florida Weightlifting Federation’s State Championship. The club which regularly trains under Coach Joey Paladino at Crossfit Pace Patriot Pride had three champions medaled at the competition.
Luke Miller, 13, became a state weightlifting champion by taking gold in the 69 plus kilogram category while his twin brother Lee took a silver medal.
Luke did not anticipate the outcome from last weekend’s championship. He even thought his brother would earn the gold medal.
“I was really happy that all of the training paid off,” Luke said.
Mario Ortiz, 14, also earned a medal setting a state record at the competition. Ortiz is now looking to qualify for nationals, which will take place in Texas in June.
“We are now going to increase our training and I am looking to continue to practice five days a week,” he said.
Kaila Corbridge said the experience at the state weightlifting championship, in which she won a gold medal, was a bit nerve-wracking.
“There was a ton of people watching,” she said. “My goal was to beat my total and I did.”
Paladino was pleased with how his club performed in their first state level competition.
“Overall, I am very pleased with how they performed, they did great,” Paladino said. “So we have one championship down and we go to nationals. That will be another one down.”
In addition to looking to gain more participants to compete in future weightlifting competitions, Paladino also wants to make the sport more appealing overall to youth in the Pace area.
“I think they just don’t know it is out there,” Paladino said. “People don’t know there are big time scholarships for weightlifting from the top five schools in the nation.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Youth Barbell Club wins 3 medals at state