Escorted by the lights and sirens of Marathon Fire Rescue and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon High School’s newest gold medalists in Special Olympics weightlifting entered the school’s courtyard to thunderous applause on Tuesday morning, fresh off hardware-winning performances at Special Olympics Florida’s state meet that outdid their regional lifts.
Lifters Alex Chavala and Cindy Augustin competed at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando in weight classes nearly double their own body weights. Adding 35 pounds to his combined bench press and deadlift from his lifts at regionals for a new total of 275 pounds, Chavala clinched his weight class win outright. Packing on 10 pounds to her regional lifts for a combined total of 220, Augustin’s performance relative to her body weight moved her from third to first place after adjustment with the crucial Sinclair algorithm.
“The Sinclair Total is an adjusted measure of an athlete’s performance, considering their body weight, and it provides a way to assess how an athlete’s performance would theoretically compare to others if they were all in the same weight class,” said coach Cathy Warner. “It helps identify the most outstanding lifters regardless of body weight.”
“I learned so much about their strength, determination and commitment to never give up,” she added. “(Alex and Cindy’s) journey has been tremendous, making huge gains throughout the season. … The smiles say it all. I am beyond happy for my athletes.”
Both Chavala and Augustin will be considered for competition in the June 2026 Special Olympics national meet at the University of Minnesota as representatives for Florida.
Photos by ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
