Canadian Senior Weightlifting Championships kicks off in Halifax

An athlete holds a barbell over his head for the Canadian Senior Weightlifting Championships. (CTV Atlantic)

Athletes from across Canada came to Halifax to compete for the Canadian Senior Weightlifting Championships.

“It’s a very unique sport. You have to be very strong to succeed in weightlifting, but you also need to be fast,” said Kate Meagher, president of Weightlifting Nova Scotia.

The championships kicked off Friday at the Halifax Convention Ccentre, making it the first time the event has been held in the province.

Over a hundred athletes were participating in the event, 10 of which are from Team Nova Scotia.

“Each province has qualification meets and if they hit the qualifying totals they can come down and compete at nationals,” explained Meagher

The ages vary from 20 and older, however, junior athletes can also compete in the challenge if they meet the same qualifying total as senior athletes.

“It’s a sport that has weight categories so you can compete at any body size,” said Meagher.

Each competitor has three attempts at showcasing their skills in the snatch and clean and jerk.

The last day of the event is Sunday. Meagher said preparations for next years competitions are already underway.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.