CJ Cummings breaks 3 world records on way to Junior Worlds title

Until Monday, it had been 16 years since an American finished atop the medal stand at weightlifting’s Junior World Championships. Beaufort’s CJ Cummings ended that drought with flair — breaking three youth world records on the way to the gold medal in the 69-kilogram weight class.

Cummings, 16, twice broke records in the clean and jerk — first lifting 175kg (385 pounds) to break the old mark by two, then coming back later to complete a 180kg lift (396 pounds). Combined with his 137kg performance in the snatch, Cummings’ total of 317kg (698 pounds) also produced a new youth record.

“It was amazing, simply amazing,” U.S. head coach Travis Mash told a USA Weightlifting liaison from the former Soviet republic. “I’ve never been more proud to be an American.”

Cummings became the first American to break a world youth record, and the first in 22 years to break a world record of any sort. In 1994, Robin Byrd-Goad put her name in the record book at the junior level — one stage above youth.

The last male American to break a world record was Artie Dreschler, also at the junior level, back in 1970.

Before Monday, the last Junior Worlds crown to go to an American came in 2000, when Oscar Chaplin III was victorious in Prague, Czech Republic.

Cummings’ performance came seven weeks after his longshot quest for an Olympics berth in Rio de Janeiro fell short at the U.S. trials. The rising junior at Beaufort High finished second in his weight class in Salt Lake City, failing to earn a roster spot for this month’s Pan American Championships that would determine the U.S. Olympian.

Monday’s lifts easily exceeded Cummings’ best efforts at the trials, where he topped out at 130kg in the snatch and 163kg in the clean and jerk. He attempted a 178kg lift in his final chance at trials, but couldn’t steady the bar above his head.

This story was originally published June 27, 2016 at 6:50 PM with the headline "CJ Cummings breaks 3 world records on way to Junior Worlds title."