Topic: News&Videos: J. Garcia & S. Gilyard in 06 Nat Jrs

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Boys Weightlifter of the Year: Hard work turns into state records for Panthers’ Garcia
By Andy Hall

Weightlifting, the land of athletic equality.

Maybe. Probably. OK, almost definitely.

“Weightlifting is a sport where you get out of it what you put into it,” said Jonathan Garcia, the newest state champion and state record holder in Palatka High’s proud history. “It’s not something that comes naturally. I reap the rewards when I reach a new peak. That’s what I respect about it.”

At 4-feet-11 (“and change,” he hastens to add), Garcia would give away three or four inches even to Muggsy Bogues, so it would be safe to rule out basketball. Football, too.

Weightlifting, though, is divided into classes. Garcia is in the lightest class — 119 pounds — meaning that none of his competitors can weigh more than 119.

“You lift against people your size,” said his PHS coach, Gordon Roberts. “It’s apples vs. apples.”

It would be an understatement to say that the Daily News’ Male Weightlifter of the Year was dominant at this year’s class 2A state meet in Gainesville. He followed a 260-pound bench press with a 245-pound clean for a 505 total — the latter two figures breaking state records — to defeat his closest competitor by 55 pounds.

The total surpassed that of the 129-pound champion by 15 pounds and would have tied Garcia for seventh at 139. And Garcia is a junior, meaning that the 119 class at next year’s state meet almost certainly will be a battle for second among some very good competitors, including Palatka’s Nick Albert, who finished fifth this spring.

Garcia actually was a little lighter than usual — 116 1/2 pounds — for the April 21 state meet, though clearly, it didn’t matter.

On the other hand, in a sport that strives to level the platform, if not playing field, Garcia’s height probably worked to his advantage.

“When you are kind of stocky for your weight class — a shorter arm and a shorter torso — it helps you,” said Roberts, a onetime power lifter. “The distance from your chest to the extension of your arm (for the bench press) isn’t as far. Same thing in the clean and jerk. You’re not as tall, so you’re not putting the bar as high.”

And it was in the clean that Garcia, well, cleaned up at state. Sanford Seminole’s Joshua Barnett actually was in hailing distance after the bench — only 15 pounds behind Garcia — but was blown away in the clean and jerk.

Make no mistake, though. Whatever advantage Garcia derives from his frame does not explain his dominant performance, which is a testament to his dedication.

Roberts compares him to a two-time state champion he coached in Crescent City, Terry Gilyard.

“Both of them are very dedicated,” Roberts said. “It’s such a disciplined sport. You’ve got to manage your weight and if you miss a few workouts, you start going backwards.”

There is little chance with that from Garcia, who is beginning to draw advice and inspiration from still another state champion weightlifter named Gilyard — Shelton, who has won eight U.S. Weightlifting Federation national championships since graduating from Palatka High in 1993.

“He called me up this year. His sister (Shoshonta, a classmate) knows me real well,” said Garcia, now involved in AAU competition when not lifting on the prep level. “His career is kind of winding down a little bit and he wanted someone else from Palatka to kind of take over his weight class (56 kilograms/123 pounds).”

Shelton Gilyard has been especially helpful in getting Garcia acclimated to the lift which takes the place of the bench press in amateur competition — the snatch, where the competitor takes the weight from the platform over his head, arms extended, in a single, swift motion.

“That’s really hard to learn. It’s all technique,” Garcia said. “I owe (Gilyard) a lot. He’s done a lot for me.”

Roberts, too, is assisting in Garcia’s progression beyond the high school ranks. He’ll be in Colorado Spring next month to meet with one of the U.S. Olympic coaches regarding Garcia’s long-term prospects.

Yes, Garcia is thinking that far into the future.

As proud as he was to win a state title and set a state record, Garcia likes to think this is only the beginning and thus tried to keep it in perspective.

“I’m happy with it, but I don’t want that to be the highlight,” he said. “State is over with and now I’ve got (AAU) nationals in August. I’ll be training for that all summer.

“I’d like to represent the United States in the Olympics. That’s my goal.”

“And he’s promised me tickets,” Roberts said.

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