Day 3 of the open categories started off with the 69kg class. This was a much-anticipated battle between multiple time world champions Kimberly Walford and Ana Rosa Castellain and the newcomer Chandler Babb. The big question was whether one of the seasoned competitors would become the first classic lifter to win the world championship in three different weight classes. However, no-one could have foreseen the drama that unfolded.
USVI’s Walford took the M1 world record with her opening squat of 175kg but then failed her second of 180kg: took it again but it was turned down on depth. Castellain of Brazil opened with a tough looking 185kg but did not manage to stand up with subsequent world record attempts at 190kg. Babb, also of USVI, took Walford’s squat world record with 187.5kg on her second but missed 193kg on her third.
But the big surprise was Norway’s Marte Kjenner who looked very comfortable under 187.5kg for her second and she took the world record and the squat gold with an easy looking 192kg, giving notice that she was a contender in the main fight.
The bench press event went entirely Ana Rosa’s way and she pulled into the lead with a 130kg bench which won her the gold. At sub-total Ana Rosa led the way from Kjenner with Babb close behind and Walford trailing in 5th behind an impressive Sara Mazzantini of Italy. Walford pulled back from 5th at sub-total at the last Classic World Championship in Helsingborg to take the win so all was not lost for her at this point as a deadlift world record holder.
As we kicked off the deadlift session, Chandler Babb shot out into the lead with her 230kg opener. Kimberly took the M1 deadlift and total records with her opening deadlift at 230kg. However Mazzantini was the only one of the top five to get her second deadlift and we went into the second round with Babb 15kg ahead of Ana Rosa but Kjenner only 3kg behind and Walford 2kg behind her. Mazzantini trailed another 7.5kg off the pace.
Castellain could not break her third attempt of 210kg from the floor which took her out of the title race. Kjenner went next with 217.5kg which flew to lockout and pulled her up to the silver medal position. Next up, Mazzantini succeeded with a massive 222.5kg to gain the bronze medal position and push Ana Rosa completely off the podium. Chandler Babb could not lock out 235kg for her last but was unassailable as the 69kg world champion. Kimberly Walford could not quite manage a world record attempt of 240.5kg and had to settle for 5th place – a shocking result.
We knew that this would be an exciting session but we did not foresee three relative newcomers on the podium ahead of the two multiple time world champions. History was made as three new stars were born in the IPF firmament.
Watch it back here https://youtu.be/sfIxiATa0M8
2nd October 2021
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