Gracie sets the standard at Euro Equipped

 

The British Equipped team took to the platform out in Thisted, Denmark last week at the European Equipped.  Here's how the women's team did.

Gracie Besant competed in the sub-junior 69kg class in her first equipped international.  She brought a silver medal home from Classic Bench Worlds in Kazakhstan last year and she significantly added to her treasure trove this time out.  Squats went well and she won the a silver medal along with a PB at 130kg.  Bench was more of a struggle but she still managed another silver medal with 65kg.  Finally on to deadlifts and Gracie pulled a beautiful 163kg for a sub-junior European record, the deadlift gold and overall second place.

Emma Goodwin lifted in the 52s in the open class and she had a bit of a mixed day.   175kg on squat was enough for a bronze medal and an initial wobble on bench was soon overcome.  Tension mounted as we wondered whether today would be the day that she finally broke the world deadlift record and indeed she loaded 195.5kg up for her third.  Unfortunately, today was not that day and Emma finished just off the podium in 4th.  She was able to add yet another deadlift gold to her collection though and, in the end, she was only 2.5kg off her best ever total.

We had two in the 57kg class.  Lucy Hart returns to full power equipped after dalliances with classic powerlifting and bench only.   She snagged the squat bronze with a nice 185kg PB and got a PB on bench too with 95kg.  Cat Hoaresmith has been moonlighting as a cross-fitter in recent years but the former deadlift junior world record holder is back and she is kitted up!  She is still finding her way with the equipment but she had no trouble remembering how to deadlift and she took the deadlift gold pretty comfortably.  Lucy and Cat finished a creditable 5th and 6th in a tough field.

We also had two lifters in the 63s, Lauren Elder and Romina Basting.  Romi kept her nerve at her first Europeans, hitting PBs on squat, bench and total.   Lauren secured the squat bronze medal with 202.5kg but was a bit off her form on bench.  She finished on a 482.5kg total, only 5kg under her best, for a 5th place finish with Romi in 6th.

Holly Bryans made a triumphant return to equipped internationals, smashing the British squat record with 220kg.  She took the British bench record too with 130kg, getting the bronze bench medal and moving herself up to third place overall at sub-total.  She shone like a star on deadlift, nailing 190kg, 202.5kg and then a brilliant 207.5kg.   This got her the deadlift gold, the overall silver and a new British record on total.  A phenomenal performance.

In the 76kg class, we had Bournemouth Barbell alumni Amy Spencer.  Amy had a steady day, hitting lifts pretty much bang on her current PBs.  Deadlift went really well though, nailing the 177.5kg she missed at the British for a new personal best in total.

Christie Civetta is looking as strong as she has ever been but squat didn't go her way.  An attempt at 230kg for the British squat record was turned down on a fraction of depth.  She hit a nice PB on bench with 142.5kg but missed her final deadlift which would have given her a PB total.  Even though the numbers weren't quite what she wanted, this still felt like a great day out for Christie and I think she will surprise a few people next time out.

No European champions this time but the women's team still placed 4th overall.  Well done, ladies!