We didn't have many juniors and sub-juniors at bench worlds but boy did they put in the work.
Starting with the sub-junior women, Violet Clarke-Waller made it a one-two knockout for the mother and daughter team, both her and her mum, Kate Clarke, winning the gold medal and the world title on their first try. Violet benched 42.5kg in the 52kg class for the win.
The only other member of this team was Kayleigh Grimble. She had a fierce battle in the 57kg class, moving into the lead in the second round when the Polish lifter missed her lift. Kayleigh put in a phenomenal effort for her third, getting 65kg for a 5kg competition best but Janaszek was lighter and matched the lift to take the title. Still, Kayleigh brings home the silver and experience of a great fight at the very highest level.
This was enough to give the sub-junior women's team third place in the team contest with only two lifters
The sub-junior men's team had three lifters. Noah Williams was alone in the 59kg class and took the opportunity to have a crack at a PB on the international stage. It didn't quite come off and he finished with 82.5kg but a gold medal is a powerful consolation.
Mitchell Guppy had a great day, getting all three lifts in and a small PB with 142.5kg This secured him the silver medal in the 93kg class. In the 120kg class, Brandon Lee led from the start and nailed all three, taking the sub-junior world title with 152.5kg.
With two world champions, Team GB took the top prize in the sub-junior men's team contest.
Emily Cakebread and Yasmin Burt competed in the women's junior category. Emily's numbers were a bit subdued but she took what was available on the day which included 65kg and a silver medal in the 57kg class. Yasmin hit a small PB with 95kg for a new British junior record in the 63s, and also the silver medal. Great work ladies.
Martin Nguyen lifted in the 66kg junior category and had a great day. He pushed on the British junior record with 150kg and then made a spirited attempt at 157.5kg to move up a place but it was just a little too heavy and he had to be happy with the bronze medal.
In the 74s, Ammar Nassier was neck and neck with the Mongolian lifter for most of the competition but unfortunately his 3rd went off line, leaving him with a best of 152.5kg and the bronze medal. Tom Field also picked up a bronze medal, this time in the 83kg class, hitting a 5kg PB along the way.
Last year's 83kg Sub-Junior World Champion, Max Wadsworth was up in the junior 93kg category here. It's a tough situation, going up a weight class as well as an age class, but Max put in a great performance, challenging for the bronze medal but, ultimately, finishing in fourth with 182.5kg.
The junior superheavyweight category couldn't have been closer and Team GB had two lifters fighting it out. Antony Weston, lead initially but, after the second round, his 185kg was matched by team mate Marcus Thornton AND the Canadian lifter, Haider. As the lighter lifter, this put Marcus in the lead and Antony in second. The first of the three to take his shot was Antony and he got a very well judged 192.5kg on the board. Marcus next for the same weight but he missed and could not improve his position. Haider attempted 195kg for the win but didn't have it and the world title went to Weston, silver to Thornton.
This gave the junior men's team a creditable second place in a tough field - really well done.
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