Saturday 26/11/11: London & South East Championships, Crystal Palace
Weighed in at 81.55kg (somehow!). 2kg lighter than the last comp without even trying. At this rate I’ll be lifting as a 77.
Felt well rested after the taper, bar work felt sharp, warm ups felt light. Looking good…
Snatch
Warmups went something like
40/2 high hang
40/1x2
50/1
60/1
65/1
70/1
75/FF: first behind, second forwards
60/1 to stay warm
70/1
Plan was originally to open on 77, but dropped it to 75 to make sure I got a lift in and reduce the potential for possible crazy glory lifts later on.
75x Behind
75x Forwards, didn’t sit in
75 Powered the shit out of it. It was either that or risk bombing out, and with a qualifying total on the table that wasn’t going to happen.
10 mins rest then started warming up for the C&J
C&J
60/1x2
70/1x2
80/1
90/1
Had 95 down as my opener, went out to the front, but Koing noticed a ton of lifters were all going to take 95 or 96. So he suggested I just go back to the warmup room, nail 95 and open on 97, leaving me 2 attempts to go for the 105 needed to hit a 180 total. Easy lift in the back, out front to open on 97.
97x Didn’t pull it in off the floor, smashed it off my thighs, swung back in and whacked me in the throat, didn’t get under or even attempt to rack it. In other words: diabolical. Things not looking good…
97 Comfy clean, smashed the jerk
And so the stage was set: 1 lift left, 8kg short of the qualifying total. Koing asks me if I want to go for the 105, which would be 4kg over my best training lift and 7kg over my best comp lift, or just go for something more doable to at least get a PB total. And so I asked myself the question that all weightlifters ask themselves at such times: What would Zlatan Vanev do?
Vanev would, of course, stick whatever was needed on the bar and smash the shit out of it.
105 BOOOOOOOOOOOM! Where on earth did that come from??? Caught the clean a bit forwards but managed to save it, jerk felt a bit unstable but not heavy, 2 whites 1 red. Glory lifting FTW.
75/105/180
7kg comp PB C&J
7kg comp PB total
4kg over my best training C&J
Qualifying total for next year’s British Masters
Next is the Southern Masters in February, then the British in March.
I am very happy for him 
He has listened and worked really hard since April of this year. I think his best total was 135 or 139? Now it’s 180.
My first lifter to qualify for a National Competition
OxMan, Regieski, Chad you guys are next!
Koing
He has listened and worked really hard since April of this year. I think his best total was 135 or 139? Now it’s 180.