ATLANTA - USA Weightlifting has chosen Georgia Tech as the host venue for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team Trials, officials announced Tuesday. The two-day event is set for May 16-17, 2008, at Georgia Tech's First Center.
"We'll be inviting the top weightlifters in the country to come and compete, and from this event, the team for the games in Beijing, China will be selected on that date," said Dean Alford, Chairman and President of Team Georgia Weightlifting. "Some 12 weeks after this event, they will be in China lifting."
Alford said the trials will consist of two sessions on Friday, May 16 and one singles session on Saturday, May 17. Team Georgia Weightlifting serves as host organization for the U.S. Team Trials.
Team Georgia Weightlifting is coached by C.J. Stockel, the head strength and conditioning coach at Flowery Branch High School.
"There are two events coming up: The American Open and the National Championship, and those will help qualify the athletes," said Stockel. "We'll have the top 30 overall women and the top 30 overall men in the country here competing for slots to go to China."
Stockel said as many as 15 of the 60 athletes that will compete for Olympic spots next May could come from Georgia. The projected lineup for Beijing calls for a team of four men and four women, although that number may be adjusted after the trials.
"There will be a lot of excitement in the air, a lot of intensity, and it's really interesting to see all of the hard work that these athletes put in, and it all comes down to that one day to make the team," said Alford.
Tickets to the weightlifting trials are expected to go on sale in January. More information is available at www.usaweightlifting.org.
Saturday
May 10th, 2025
11:40PM
