Topic: News: Weightlifting team expects to haul medals at ESG

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Weightlifting team expects to haul medals at ESG
By Brian Heyman

oe Rodriguez lifted a trio of silvers and a bronze at the Empire State Games over the last four years as a member of Hudson Valley's open weightlifting team, and he served as the head coach, too. But he plans on lifting something lighter and more precious during this month's competition - his first child.

So the 39-year-old former national masters champ has just a coaching commitment to the team. He will be there - baby permitting - at Byram Hills High School July 26-28. Rodriguez does have a touch of regret, though, that there will be no heavy lifting for him this time.

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"I do miss it," he said. "My first baby is due the day I usually would lift, July 27. Knowing that going in, I didn't even want to try. I basically said that I'll leave it for somebody else this year and I'll just coach. If, by chance, I do wind up in the hospital welcoming my baby, I do have an assistant coach to cover for me."

But the team that claimed just two medals last year - including Rodriguez's silver - from the combined weight of the snatch and clean-and-jerk categories should be stronger in the medal race this year, even without the Poughkeepsie resident.

Rodriguez listed seven medal contenders: Suffern's Eric Briglia (62-kilogram weight class/136.5 pounds); Dobbs Ferry's Tony Gerasia (69/152), the team chairman and former coach with 13 medals as a participant; Harrison's Mike Basciano (77/169.75); West Nyack's Peter Madow (85/187.25); White Plains' Dominic Zanot (94/207); Blauvelt's Peter Nickless (105-plus/231.25-plus), a past multiple medalist; and Scarsdale's Inga DeNunzio (75-plus/165.25-plus) in the women's competition.

Waccabuc's Marc Chasnov, a former Games medalist and national competitor as well as a noted instructor who has coached at the Olympics, trains Zanot, Basciano, Goldens Bridge's Mike Aidala (105/231.25) and sometimes Briglia. He will be assisting Rodriguez. Chasnov even said, "It's possible we could have eight medals this year."

"The good thing about this year is we're the home team, and with Dominic Zanot and Marc Chasnov getting some kids into the sport, we actually had one of the best tryouts that we had in a long time," Rodriguez said. "We had a very big showing. There were a few lifters who didn't make the team. The competition was a lot stronger than it has been in a while."

This will be Zanot's first time participating with Hudson Valley. The Binghamton native and former Colgate cornerback took a bronze in 2002 and a silver in '04 competing in the 77-kilo class for the Central region.

Now he's a 30-year-old teacher and the varsity track and field coach at Harrison High. Zanot also owns BX Strength and Speed in Mamaroneck, where athletes are trained and the tryouts were held. He knows that international lifters living in New York City often impact the results.

"Let's just say I feel like I have a chance for a medal," Zanot said. "But there are really good lifters who show up. So I could have my best lifts and I could come in fourth, depending on who's in that weight class."

Briglia is just 15, but he repeated last weekend as a school-age national champ and is a past medal winner at the Games. Chasnov also sees potential in Basciano, a former Harrison football player.

"Next year, when he's probably a full 77, there will be nobody who can beat him in the state," Chasnov said.

New Rochelle's Brian Drescher (94/207), another past multiple-medal winner, including a bronze in '06, and Mamaroneck's Adria Linder (69/152 in the women's event) also will be chasing medals.

"If you medal in the Empire State Games in lifting, you're pretty good," Zanot said.