Topic: News: Juniper High School's Brian Ton Awarded Awarded Medal

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Link

Juniper High School's Brian Ton Awarded Awarded Medal for Second Year in a Row

Jupiter High School senior Brian Ton was awarded the fourth-place medal for his finish at the state weightlifting championships Saturday in Gainesville but he ended up with the fifth-place medal after state officials learned they had forgotten to count the score for another lifter.

Ton, who won Palm Beach County's first weightlifting medal last year (a sixth-place), initially was fourth in the 139-pound division after totaling up 510 pounds on his top lifts in the bench press (260 pounds) and the clean and jerk (250 pounds).

But meet officials had left out Pine Ridge High's Jay Bumgardner, who also lifted 510 pounds. Bumgardner weighted a half pound less than Ton, so he was moved to fourth place and the Jupiter lifter was bumped to fifth. Deland High's Josh Cassell, who also lifted a 510 total, was bumped to sixth, receiving the final medal. Cassell weighed 7/10s of a pound more than Ton.

Ton had attempted 270 pounds in the clean and jerk on his final lift, but couldn't make the clean. The extra 20 pounds would have given him first place.

Jupiter's other entry, junior Nico Pento, failed to make a clean lift in three attempts on the bench press in the 129 pound division.

"It was horrible. I was disappointed but I'll have another chance next year," he said.

Dwyer High senior Rick Burgess also didn't make a clean lift in the bench press.

South Fork High's Andrew Chesnut finished ninth in the 183-pound division with a 600 pound total lift.