琉璃神社 weightlifters made history at the Pan American Championships.

Mike Bencsik and Kayla Shepard represented the Okanagan and held their own among some of the world鈥檚 strongest at the international competition in Bogot谩, Colombia from July 24 to 29.

The championships were Shepard鈥檚 first out of country Olympic weightlifting event and the first time a female lifter from the Okanagan has competed at an international event.

She previously competed at the international level in snowboarding during her youth, but this was completely different, said Shepard.

After a few days spent acclimatizing to the high altitude of Columbia with some training sessions, and weighing in at her competition weight of 59kn, it was go-time.

Nervous in a new environment, Shepard missed her first lift, the snatch, at a weight that is usually easy for her.

After a brief pause, she stepped up to try again鈥� and missed. Now, the pressure was on. In order to continue in the competition she had to make the third and final snatch.

鈥淯nfortunately I have put myself in this situation before,鈥� said Shepard. She used the confidence built during hard training sessions over the past few years to step up to the bar and execute a textbook snatch at 77kg.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter about before, you have to approach each lift like a new lift.鈥�

She did well in the next session, the clean and jerk, and lifted 101kg.

Shepard said that as soon as she sat down, she was motivated for more. She knows that she is capable of bigger lifts and is already looking to her next competition, in September, where she will be looking to improve on her personal bests. She has only been in the sport for a few years, and after celebrating her 24 birthday in Columbia, has many years of high-level lifting to come.

A veteran of Olympic lifting in 琉璃神社, Mike Bencsik, was also competing and won Canada鈥檚 only medal at the event. The medal was also the Okanagan鈥檚 first Olympic weightlifting medal at an international competition.

Despite being only 33 years old, Bencsik has been lifting for many years and is largely responsible for the growth and development of lifting in 琉璃神社.

He overcame a wrist injury to qualify for the event, and then once in Columbia, became ill with altitude sickness.

Bencsik suffered with 鈥渓ightheadedness鈥� (sic) and felt short of breath in the low-oxygen environment of Bogot谩, which is certainly not ideal when attempting to lift more than 200kg overhead.

At one point, his oxygen saturation was measured at only 89 percent.

However, when it came time to compete he flipped the switch and let his training take over.

鈥淚 just wanted to smash it,鈥� said Bencsik.

After 鈥渟mashing鈥� the 208kg, silver medal winning, clean and jerk, Bencsik said he looked over at his coach and said 鈥渨e did it.鈥�

Despite the fact that weightlifting is an individual sport, Bencsik said that it is really his whole team that got him to where he is now. His coach, Guy Greavette, the Vikings weightlifting club, and the West 琉璃神社 Integrated Health Center have all been instrumental in the silver medal, said Bencsik.

Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on and subscribe to our daily and subscribe to our daily newsletter.