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105kg men
The blast from the past vs. the new kid in town:
What happens when you face a seasoned champion against an up and coming promising youngster? The result is a sensation al confrontation, such as the one that just took place in the XVI Pan American Games, Guadalajara 2011. Julio Luna(VEN), six-time Pan American medalist, as well as six time Olympic participant, broke a long vacation from the weightlifting scene earning gold at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayaguez 2010, to appear as one of the favorites in this 105kg category. But he had a tough time asserting himself against the junior lifter Jorge David Arroyo from Ecuador. Arroyo has been winning each and every junior competition and now it was time to play with the big boys. And as a big boy he behaved. Arroyo made 215 in his third C&J putting the pressure over Luna, who missed 216kg. The end of the tale crowned a new king of the 105kg: Jorge David Arroyo (no relation with Pan Am speaker David Arroyo) got gold, Luna won silver and Donald Shankle (USA) earned bronze.

+75kg
Ecuador is all weightlifting: USA disappoints twice
Nine athletes started this session, but at the end only seven could claim a total result. Guatemala and Puerto Rico registered two novices that had nothing to do with the battle that Mexico, Venezuela and Ecuador had to the end. Chioma Amechi (USA) missed three snatches and Sara Elizabeth Robles (USA) could not lift the barbell beyond the waist three times in the C&J, eliminating themselves from a total result. It was then Yuniesky Espinosa (VEN) and Tania Mascorro (MEX) who gave the Pan Am Champion from Rio 2007, Seledina Nieve (ECU) a hard time. After Matos and Saladin, from the Dominican Republic were sent to the showers, Seledina allowed Espinoza and Mascorro to battle for second and third place respectively. A solid performance in the second part ending with 145kg left no doubt that the queen of the super category will reign for four more years.