Marathon High School hosted the girls weightlifting district competition in the gym on Jan. 23. All 20 girls who competed in Districts will be continuing to Regionals on Saturday, Jan. 30 in Englewood, Florida, just north of Fort Myers. Girls from Coral Shores High School, Key West High School and Gulliver Preparatory also qualified for Regionals by placing in the top 6 of their weight divisions.
“Just to compete, well, that was amazing,” said MHS coach Jesse Schubert. Some of the weightlifting meets were virtual, even before the pandemic. In 2020, they were all virtual until the district competition this past weekend. The MHS gym was staged with four stations, each serving a different weight class. About 100 girls came to compete. The audience was limited to two guests per competitor but the action was also live-streamed on YouTube.
“We simulate meets, and some of the seniors have experienced meets, but for the rest of the girls it was a new experience,” Schubert said.
According to Schubert, the team is already adding more weight, practicing for the upcoming meet.
“They are hitting their peak at the right time,” he said. “But what’s exciting to see is the girls coming into their own. This sport really gives the girls confidence.”
