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| (These numbers are in kg so you have to convert them to #'s) |
Tim now holds the record in the Men’s Junior 70kg Division for the Carolina WSO (Weightlifting State Organization), which includes lifters from both North Carolina and South Carolina.
This is something I’m pretty proud of because it’s not just a record for a particular competition or gym. The Carolina WSO records include lifters across North Carolina and South Carolina, so his name is now part of the record books for his state organization.
He actually beat the requirements for the States record by a long shot when he competed at Junior Nationals this past summer.
There is a little bit of a story behind how his results ended up in the 70kg category.
When Tim competed at Junior Nationals, he was competing in the 71kg Junior division, which was the weight class at the time. Since then, USA Weightlifting has changed the weight classes, and the 71kg division no longer exists. When Tim weighed in at Nationals, he was actually under 70kg, so his results qualified to be placed in the new 70kg Junior division.
And now his name is at the top of that record.
How cool is that?
As his mom, I am incredibly proud of everything Tim has accomplished this year. He won Junior Nationals in his division, set personal records, and now has his name in the Carolina WSO record books.
But here's the part that means just as much to me...
Tim is currently out with an elbow injury.
This is the first time since he started his Olympic weightlifting journey that he has had to sit out of States. And I know that's not easy for him.
He misses lifting.
He misses training.
He misses making gains and working toward his next goal.
When you're used to walking into the gym, putting in the work, seeing your numbers go up and constantly pushing yourself to get better, being told you have to stop can be incredibly frustrating.
But even in the middle of that disappointment, Tim is keeping a positive attitude and making the best of a tough situation.
That makes me proud too.
Because being an athlete isn't just about what you can do when everything is going right. Sometimes it's about how you handle the seasons when things aren't going the way you planned.
And this is one of those seasons for Tim.
He won't be competing at States this year, but he will still be there.
He'll be there supporting his teammates, cheering them on and helping his coach wherever he can.
That's the kind of thing I love seeing in him.
He's learning that being part of a team isn't dependent on whether you're the one standing on the platform. Sometimes your role is to compete. Sometimes it's to encourage. Sometimes it's to help. And sometimes it's simply to stand beside the people you've trained with and support them.
And while I know he'd much rather be lifting, I'm proud of the way he's handling this setback.
What a year this has already been for him.
He became a Junior Nationals champion.
He hit some huge personal records.
And now he's officially a Carolina WSO record holder.
That's a pretty incredible list of accomplishments for one year.
But as I've said before, the medals, the records, the numbers and the titles are just part of the story.
What matters most to me is the young man behind all of it.
I'm proud of the lifter Tim has become, but I'm even more proud of the person he's becoming.
This injury may have temporarily taken him off the platform, but it hasn't taken away his accomplishments, his work ethic, his determination or his place on his team.
The platform will still be there when he's ready to return.
For now, we're taking this one step at a time, trusting God through the process and making the best of where he is right now.
