KEYS LIFTERS STATES-BOUND

Eight athletes advance to state championship on Feb. 18

Keys schools represented Monroe County in style on Feb. 4 at their respective regional championship meets. Multiple lifters qualified for the state competition, with several bringing home some hardware.

Marathon and Coral Shores spent the day in Lemon Bay at the FHSAA 1A regional competition, where Marathon finished in fourth place in the traditional event and fifth in Olympic style lifts.

Coral Shores came in eighth and ninth in the same categories. Key West’s trip was a little closer as they traveled to the 2A championships at Archbishop McCarthy High School, where the Conchs placed seventh in traditional scoring.

Multiple athletes won the chance to compete for a state championship by lifting enough weight to qualify for at-large spots in their weight classes.

Marathon’s Allie Brabenec won second-place medals in both the Olympic and traditional styles in the

MHS’ Justice Lee won third place in the 169-pound class for Olympic style lifts. Lee also medaled in traditional lifts. AMANDA LEE/ Contributed

Coral Shores’ Lily Hitchcock. CONTRIBUTED

110-pound weight class and will travel to Polk County on Feb. 18 to represent the Dolphins. Brabenec is ranked in the top 10 for both events and has a strong chance to bring a state medal back to Marathon.

Teammate Mikkel Ross won a second-place medal in Olympic events in the 129-pound class. Joining them will be Ella Dunn (101) and Justice Lee (169). All four Fins earned spots to compete in both styles of lifts. Like Brabenec, Lee is ranked in the top 10 in Olympic lifts and stands a very good chance to medal at states.

Coral Shores had two athletes advance to the state event. Valentina Rizzo (101) will compete in the Olympic events where she is ranked in the top 10. She will have some company with Lily Hitchcock (139) qualifying in traditional lifts and Vanessa Gabriel (unlimited) in Olympic lifts.

Key West’s Valerie Thene with her third-place medal. Thene qualified for the FHSAA 2A State Championships in Polk City. ELLA HALL/Keys Weekly

Key West’s Valerie Thene (119) brought a third-place regional medal home to the southernmost school. Thene will represent Key West in both events and is ranked in the top 10 in Olympic lifting, giving the Conchs hope for earning a state medal.

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald