The 2016 USAW American Open Series will take a look at two weight categories every weekday through Wednesday, December 7, the day before the start of the American Open.
Take a look at the previews already posted:
Women’s 48kg
Women’s 53kg
Women’s 58kg
Men’s 56kg
Men’s 62kg
Men’s 69kg
The Women’s 63kg A Session is scheduled for Saturday, December 10, at 6:30pm EST. The entry totals that have been submitted point to a very competitive weight category. Last year only CrossFit athlete Maddy Myers was able to break into the 200kg total. How many lifters will we see this year above 200kg?
Last year’s medalists were:
| Place | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Total |
| 1 | Vanessa McCoy (88) | Maddy Myers (114) | Maddy Myers (200) |
| 2 | Kelly Charniga (87) | Cecily Basques (113) | Cecily Basques (197) |
| 3 | Maddy Myers (86) | Vanessa McCoy (108) | Vanessa McCoy (196) |
Here’s who to look out for this year…
Mary Peck
At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Mary Peck had a great day posting a 93-115-208 stat line. The 5-for-6 day on the platform gave her a 10kg advantage over 2nd place in the Nationals standings for an easy win. It won’t be as easy the defending American Open champion, Maddy Myers, is back as well as Vanessa McCoy. However, another 208kg performance will give her a shot at the top of the podium.
Maddy Myers
Maddy Myers made it to the CrossFit Games in 2015 as an 18-year old. Myers then competed in the 2015 American Open and posted a 200kg total to win the 63kg title. Two months later she followed that up with a 206kg total at the 2016 Junior Championships. She is back this year to defend her crown, but it will require a few more kilograms than it did last year. Myers’ clean and jerk is her strongest lift so look out for her to make up some ground following the snatch.
Cecily Basques
Cecily Basques took 2nd place at the 2015 American Open and has followed that up with a 2nd place at the 2016 National Championships and a win at the 2016 Under 25 Championships. Basques is another athlete with a really strong clean and jerk so she will likely have to make up some ground following the snatch, but if she goes 3-for-3 on the clean and jerk, Basques could make some noise.
Jordan Weichers
Jordan Weichers is one of the rising stars of USA Weightlifting. Last year she competed as a 58kg lifter at the 2015 American Open and ended up taking 5th place. Weichers followed that up with a 3rd place finish at the 2016 National Championships, only behind Jessica Lucero and Sarabeth Phillips. Since then, Weichers has moved up a weight class. She will need to improve upon her 192kg total in May to make the podium, but a higher weight class should give her the opportunity to do so.
