Leonard McCormick comes on strong in the end to top Defending champion, Dennis Cieri.
Another close battle in the first session of Saturday's lifting came down to the final attempt for both men. In the 181's Dennis Cieri looked as ready as ever to face the challenge of Leonard McCormick of Decatur, IL. As Powerlifting USA coverman and returning 181 lb. champion, we all knew this one was going ot be good. Form the onset, both men nailed down successful openers with cieri ahead by 2.5 kg, 217.5 to McCormick's 215. On second attempts, Cieri again selected his weight 2.5 kg's higher than McCormick, who called for 230 kg. McCormick came out and blasted 507 lbs. off of his chest in one of the most explosive lifts of the day. By round three, the next nearest lifter to Cieri and McCormick was Danny Thurman, who had lifted 192.5 kg's. With that in mind, the show was down to a two horse race.
Dennis Cieri intensely waits for the bar to be loaded.
Cieri resorted to wearing his wedding band on his shoe while on the platform for added luck.
With the 165's before them going down to the wire and being decided on 3rd attempts, Cieri and McCormick had a tough act to follow. But somehow, someway, they matched the action with a show of thier own. For thier third attempts, both had selected a whopping 512 lbs. With McCormick being the lighter man, he was going for the tie i nthe event that Cieri came back to get the same weight that had he just missed on his 2nd attempt.The bar was loaded and outcame Dennis Cieri looking intense and ready. After getting the handoff from Eric Curry, Dennis took it down, paused
just enough for it to be legal, and proceeded to drive it to arms length. After recieving white lights confirming it good, Cieri waited closely, anticipating while McCormick prepared for the same weight. With a loud yell, McCormick atacked the bar ferociously. After getting tha handoff, he literally blew the bar off of his chest the whole way up for a good lift. It was quite convincing from where this author was sitting that he had plenty of gas left in the tank. McCormick should fare well in representing the United States at the Benchpress Worlds
Leonard McCormick had plenty of power to spare on his 512 lb., title clinching lift.
Rick Fowler
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