Marathon and Coral Shores each qualified athletes for the FHSAA 1A Boys Weightlifting Championships, held last week in Lakeland, with Marathon turning in a strong performance on the state stage.
The Dolphins were led by Max Childress in the 183-pound weight class, who brought home a pair of medals from Lakeland. He placed fourth in the Olympic lifts and sixth in the traditional competition, highlighted by a 265-pound bench press, a 275-pound clean and jerk, and a 205-pound snatch.
Junior Isaak Vallejo also reached the podium for Marathon, earning a fourth-place medal in the traditional division at 199 pounds. Vallejo posted an impressive 335-pound bench press and a 235-pound clean and jerk.
Senior Matthias Martinez-Velez added to the Dolphins’ success, cracking the top 10 with an eighth-place finish in the traditional competition at 139 pounds. He recorded a 245-pound bench press and a 185-pound clean and jerk.
The state championships closed the book on a strong season for both the Hurricanes and Dolphins. Both teams will waste little time prior to hitting the weight room again as they look to carry that momentum into the offseason to continue to develop strength and depth.
