As one of the county’s newest sports, weightlifting gains popularity each season, and with larger groups participating, the competition grows as well. The 2021-22 season saw the addition of the state snatch competition, and for 2022-23 the snatch lift was combined with the clean and jerk to become a separate category called Olympic lifting. In prior seasons, only traditional lifting, which combines an athlete’s best performances on the bench press and clean and jerk, was part of the competition.
This season, eight athletes made it to the big show at the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting State Championship in Lakeland. Most of those who made the cut qualified in both categories offered, making it an even more successful season, and a majority of this year’s top lifters are underclassmen, fueling even greater excitement for one of the Keys’ fastest-growing athletic offerings.
From all of us at the Keys Weekly, congratulations to these standout lady lifters as we present the 2023 All-Keys Girls Weightlifting Team.
MVP
Mikkel Ross
Junior, Marathon
Mikkel Ross is strong both mentally and physically, analyzing her own performance critically and making it known that she will not be outworked. Discovering weightlifting while recovering from ACL surgery, the junior quickly became a force for the Lady Fins, earning district championships in both the Olympic and traditional events. She then turned her focus toward regionals, where she took the runner-up spot for Olympic lifting and third-place medal in traditional. At the FHSAA 1A State Championships, she placed seventh in Olympic lifts and fifth in traditional, bringing home the Keys’ only medal from the state competition.
Justice Lee
Freshman, Marathon
The freshman Fin phenom won two district championship medals in Olympic and traditional lifting, then brought home third- and fourth-place medals from regionals in the events. At states, she cracked the top 10 in both styles, finishing eighth in Olympic and ninth in traditional.
Ella Dunn
Sophomore, Marathon
Dunn earned a district championship in traditional lifting and finished fourth in Olympic lifts. At regionals, she secured fifth-place awards in both, earning her a trip to states, where she finished 12th in Olympic lifting and 13th in traditional.
Allie Brabenec
Senior, Marathon
Brabenec won double district championships, then double runner-up medals at regionals, making her the Keys’ only three-time state-qualifying female weightlifter thus far.
Lily Hitchcock
Sophomore, Coral Shores
Hitchcock brought home a runner-up medal at the district championships in traditional lifting, plus a fourth place medal in Olympic lifts. Her strength and agility from years of dance paired well with the skills required for lifting, giving her an edge. Hitchcock went on to place third and fifth in traditional and Olympic lifts, respectively, at regionals, and 15th in the state for traditional lifting.
Vanessa Gabriel
Freshman, Coral Shores
Hurricane freshman Vanessa Gabriel won runner-up medals in both lifting styles at districts, then secured a fifth place Olympic lifting medal at regionals. Though young, Gabriel is a driven athlete whose regional lifts qualified her for a trip to states, where she placed 17th.
Valentina Rizzo
Sophomore, Coral Shores
Valentina Rizzo made the most of her first year in the sport, qualifying for the state meet in Olympic lifting. At districts, she won third place in Olympic lifts and fourth in traditional. At regionals, she placed fourth and seventh, respectively.
Valerie Thene
Senior, Key West
Conch senior Valerie Thene won runner-up medals in both styles of lifting at districts this season, proving that Key West’s homecoming queen may be a beauty, but she lifts like a beast. Thene went on to place third in regionals in Olympic lifting and fifth in traditional. She was the lone Conch to qualify for a spot at the state meet this season.
Dazmine Jenkins
Junior, Key West
Known for her speed on the track, Key West’s Dazmine Jenkins secured a third place medal in Olympic lifts and fourth in traditional at the district championships this season, and went on to place third and sixth in the same categories at regionals. Jenkins narrowly missed a spot to compete at the state level in the Olympic category.
