Topic: Iron Mike Nackoul rulles the day and the B-session

[Mark Cannella]

Wow, what a great day of lifting. 

First off, everyone had meet PR's and again, when you make lifts, good things happen.  Now, this might be a DOH, moment, like Homer Simpson, but making lifts, even if they are not PR's, feed upon themselves. 
When watching a lot of the successful countries in lifting, look at the number of successful lifts.  It is a lot and getting in the groove can really help on the platform.  Is the platform slippery? does it have divots?  do you have a sight line, is the slave clock somewhere you can see it.  Some food for thought moments while writing in the restaurant.

First off was Jenny Arthur and Megan Poole. Both 69's and both with a lot of talent.  I know Zygmunt wants to work with them a bit more and rightly so.  These are the type of girls that will flourish and I am sure you will see them on bigger stages in the near future.  You also might find Megan in the nearest Starbucks, as she now has an affinity for coffee!!!

Onto the platform.  Jenny gave everyone a scare with two misses with her opener of 74. She came back solid on her third and in still in the hunt.  Now, the clean and jerks with another story, although not right from the start.  Jenny opened with a nice 98 and a good lift, right? wrong?  Unfortunately, she didn't wait for the down signal. She barely beat the buzzer and when you have a jury with Alexander Kurlovich, two time Olympian, you know you must follow the rules.  (right Rudy Sablo?)

So what to do, follow again with the same lift, NOT, go up and realize that despite the small technical error, she was good for way more.  Way more is what she did too.  Jenny smoked 101 and then 105 for what I believe is a comp PR. 

Megan had a pretty successful day too.  Megan missed 75, made 75 and then missed 80, which would of been a PR.  Megan came back strong on the clean and jerk with two strong lifts at 100 and 105.  Her jerk is solid and her technique is impeccable. ( Nice job coach) She then attempted 109.  She pulled it in, but after double setting, she wasn't able to stand up.  She finished with a PR total of 180.

Note, Brianna Barnett yesterday hit PR's at 62kg.  Nice to know that she hit PR's after dropping down a weight class.

Okay, onto the great display of strength and speed from Mike Nackoul.  Mike has been lifting with Zygmunt quite a few weeks now and it showed.  Mike proceeded to make lifts and beat a lot of good countries today in the B session.  I noted the KAZ and TUR countries that he beat, including a Columbian and Paul Coffa's junior lifter, Steven Kari who was at the Arnold earlier this year and briefly, held the top clean and jerk at 182.  That was pushed aside by one Iron Mike Nackoul.

So, let's get back to the beginning.  Mike smokes 137 and 141 for PR's.  He then takes 143 and misses it behind, but it is strong.  Mike will do 150 shortly. 

Now, if you have been following my posts, you heard me state that the clean and jerk is the king of all lifts and it was today.  Mike in succession going 5 for 6 hit all PR's with 176, 181, 186. He was in 4th after the snatch.  Guess what, a big clean and jerk will wipe out any gains in the snatch. Mike hit 3 huge lifts and just by passed some big attempts by the COL, ECU, TUR, KAZ, etc. 
First place in the B session and a I believe a 26kg PR.  His big clean and jerk launched him into first and even Kurlovich seemed pleased.  Remember, Sasha was "robbed" of two big clean and jerks in the 80's. Argue those lifts, but it is cool to see him on the jury, just one of the guys willing to work any session. 

Mike has been to a few International meets and is a pretty smart guy. ( MIT guy and his brother graduated from there too.)  Don't penalize Mike for being late for the shuttle, his mind is working on vectors, cold fusion and how to convert water into beer.  Well, maybe I requested that last one.

Alright now, we have mojo again and let's continue this through Ian and Jared tomorrow and Choima and Shelbie later.

Mark

Observations:  there were some Koreans doing jumps off the floor as a finishing exercise and some guys were doing pull-ups with the squat racks way up high.

I saw a COL smoke a powersnatch with 140 as a 105 in training and it was precise.  Remember, they have a former BUL bad arse working with them.  They are long and muscular and are stupid fast.

The Poles in the B session with the women were sorta slow again and had some technique going on that was a bit different.  Wide feet, pulls slow, not exactly classical, but again, these are juniors.

The lifters Mike beat in the session had a few technical bobbles.  One thing interesting was the Turk lifters placing the bar on the hip and carrying it as they pull under.  They look like Chinese lifters in a way and I wonder how the countries interchange info in that regard.  The carry of the bar on the hip is unique to the Chinese and seems now to be copied by others.
I saw some classical hip shot and screw unders, but not as often anymore.