May 11, 2005

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Former University of Denver women's lacrosse standout Patience Baldwin (Baltimore, Md.) won a Bronze medal in the clean and jerk in her first national showing at the U.S. Weightlifting Nationals held in Cleveland, Ohio last weekend. Baldwin finished fourth overall in the 48kg/105.5 lbs. weightclass with a Q-Total of 115kg.

In the snatch, Baldwin missed her first and second attempts at 45kg, but was a success at 47.5 kg. She put the weight down before the judges signaled in her first attempt at the clean and jerk, but made her second attempt at 67.5 kg., which won her the bronze medal. Her two successful lifts at 47.5 kg and 67.5 kg were added together to get the Q-Total of 115kg.

"Patience did exceptionally well for only competing since June. For her to be at the national level in that short of time is amazing," said coach Drew Bodette. "She will be looking to compete in the Rocky Mountain State Games in July and the American Open in December.

Competitors perform two lifts in any Olympic weightlifting competition, the "clean and jerk," where the bar is lifted from the floor to the shoulders and from the shoulders to overhead in two movements, and the "Snatch" where the bar comes from the floor to overhead in one movement. Each athlete receives three attempts at each lift for six total lifts. The total of the two lifts are then added together to get a "Q-Total," with the highest total in each weight class earning top honors.

Over 200 athletes, including Olympic medalists Shane Hammon, Cheryl Haworth, and Oscar Chaplin, competed in 15 different weight classes (eight men and seven women) with lifters being divided up according to weight classes.