News

Former Sol C. Johnson High School standout student-athlete, Performance initiatives Weightlifter, and Team USA member Tayon Vereen swept gold medals at the 2020 IWF JR Pan American Championships November 20-28, 2020 online.
Originally scheduled to be held in Manizales, Colombia, organizers moved the event online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
“These kids proved that anything is possible,” Mike Gattone, USA Weightlifting’s Senior Director of High Performance and Coaching Education, said. “Moving this event from an in-person competition to online brought its own challenges, but I am thankful that our athletes had a way to compete.”
On the last day of the event on Friday, Tayon Vereen (+109kg, Savannah, GA, Coastal Empire Weightlifting) ended Team USA’s competition on a high note, sweeping gold in his bodyweight category. He was a perfect 3-for-3 in the snatch with the best lift of 155kg. Combined with his gold medal-winning 190kg clean & Jerk, his 345kg total bested his competitors to take home gold for the stars and stripes!
PI Athletes Carlos Millen (61kg) and Nia Walker (87+kg) also represented Team USA at the 2020 IWF JR. Pan American Championships online. Carlos Millen (61kg) snatched 102kg (9th), clean, and jerked 140kg (6th), totaling 242kg (6th overall). Nia Walker (87+kg) snatched 88kg (5th), clean & jerked 113kg(5th), totaling 201kg (5th overall).