PNW Lifters Set 46 Records at the 2026 USAW Masters Nationals & University Championships
The 2026 USA Weightlifting Masters Nationals & University Championships brought together lifters from across the country, and Pacific Northwest athletes had a strong showing on the national platform.
Over the course of the competition, PNW lifters established or broke 46 Pacific Northwest Weightlifting records across Masters and University divisions. The performances spanned multiple age groups, weight classes, and clubs, highlighting the depth of Masters weightlifting in our region.
Strong Performances Across the Men's Divisions
Several men's records were improved throughout the week.
Peter Foss of CrossFit Fort Vancouver raised all three M35 71kg records with lifts of 94 kg in the snatch, 117 kg in the clean & jerk, and a 211 kg total.
Joey Cole of Cully Strength improved the M35 79kg clean & jerk and total records with a 138 kg clean & jerk and 242 kg total.
In the M40 88kg category, Bryann Turner of Bexar Barbell added to his record tally with a 114 kg snatch and 261 kg total.
Christopher Douglas of Paramount Barbell posted one of the strongest performances of the meet, increasing all three M45 88kg records to 116 kg in the snatch, 154 kg in the clean & jerk, and 270 kg in total.
Additional men's records were set by Eric Hulderson (Kenmore Barbell) in the M50 88kg class and Eric Brown (CrossFit Fort Vancouver), who pushed the M55 110kg snatch record to 100 kg.
University Division Success
The University Championships also featured a record-setting performance from Ava Jackson of the University of South Florida. Competing in the Junior Women's 86kg class, Jackson improved all three records with lifts of 70 kg in the snatch, 87 kg in the clean & jerk, and a 157 kg total.
Women's Records Continue to Move Up
The women's divisions accounted for many of the new records.
In the W35 categories, Gretchen Stolte of Bexar Barbell, Maia Kurnik of 206 Barbell, and Stephanie Aliimatafitafi of Seven Pound Lifting each added new records in their respective classes.
Amy Livingston of Heroic Barbell had an outstanding meet in the W40 53kg class, improving both the snatch and total records.
Nadine Phoenix of CrossFit Fort Vancouver established new standards in the W45 58kg category with records in the snatch, clean & jerk, and total.
Chelsea Hopkins of Eastside Barbell improved all three records in the W50 86+kg division.
A Busy Day for the W55 Lifters
The W55 divisions saw several notable performances.
Wendi Lubinus of Tacoma Strength improved all three records in the 58kg class.
In the 63kg class, Mira Kwon of Power & Grace Performance established new marks in the snatch, clean & jerk, and total, bringing the records to 60 kg, 71 kg, and 131 kg respectively.
The W55 69kg records were shared between two athletes. Yasmine Nugent of Siuslaw Strength improved the snatch and total records, while LeAlyce Miller of Pilchuck Barbell increased the clean & jerk record.
Experienced Lifters Leading the Way
The record-setting continued through the older Masters age groups.
Suzanne Evans of Paramount Barbell improved the W60 58kg snatch and total records.
Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson of CrossFit Fort Vancouver added to the W60 63kg snatch record.
Lisa MacLeod of Rain City Weightlifting established new standards in the W60 86kg category with records in all three lifts.
Jill Schuster of Corvallis Strength improved the W65 58kg clean & jerk and total records, while Holly Arrow of Eastside Barbell increased the W70 69kg clean & jerk and total records.
Congratulations to All Athletes
Records are only one measure of success, but they are a reflection of the work athletes put in throughout the year. Congratulations to all of the PNW lifters, coaches, and clubs represented at the 2026 USAW Masters Nationals & University Championships.
We look forward to seeing what new milestones are achieved during the rest of the 2026 season.