By LARRY GAGE
Special to the PRESS
Jocelyn Padilla established two personal bests, including total lift, and placed fourth in the Women’s State Powerlifting Meet in Corpus Christi last week.
Padilla lifted 385 pounds in the squat lift, 155 pounds in the bench press, and managed 350 pounds in the dead lift. Her dead lift, and total lift of 890 pounds, were both personal records.
Earlier this season, Padilla told the Press that the lifting event that she was most comfortable with was the dead lift, and it showed last Friday. Her personal best coming into the state meet was 345 pounds. “On my first attempt I did 330,” Padilla told the Press on Monday. “Then I tried 350, a new max, and I got it.”
She was close for third place and she went for it on her third and final attempt. “I just needed to get 370 to get third place. I was going for it. It was a 20-pound jump. I hunched and didn’t get it.”
For a dead lift attempt to be judged successful the lifter must lift the loaded bar off the floor to a standing position, with knees locked, in one smooth and continuous motion.
“She got it up … she got stuck half-way and then she kinda’ bounced it to get it up,” head P.I. powerlifting coach Joe Gonzales said Monday. “When she did that I knew it was over. It’s supposed to be one continuous motion and she jerked just a little bit. It was enough to be noticeable and they red-lighted her for that.”
Padilla was not successful on her first attempt on the bench press but made 155 pounds on her second try. She unsuccessfully attempted 165 on her third attempt. Her best outing in the bench press is 170 pounds.
Her previous personal best total lift was 885 pounds, and her personal record in the squat lift remains 405 pounds.
“I was actually really excited,” Padilla said this week. “I would have preferred third but there’s always next year.”
Padilla is a junior and was in her first year of competitive powerlifting.
“She did great and I was real proud of her,” Gonzales said. “She’s not happy with how she came out so I know she’s going to work harder. She’s motivated that she can do better. To come in fourth in the state is nothing to be ashamed of, especially since it was her first time out. She represented P.I. really well.”
Padilla plans to start working out in the weight room as soon as school lets out for the summer in May. For the next few weeks she’ll be working a different kind of weight, the shot put and the discus, for the track and field team. “My brother has a gym and I’ll be working out with him,” she said.
Coach Gonzales added that he would be working with Padilla moderately throughout the year to get her where she wants to be for next year’s competition and season. “I told her we need to get you to between 405 and 450 pounds in the squat, and our goal is 190 in the bench. We’ll be maxing out every three to four weeks to find out where she’s at.”
“She’s already set her mind, she and Franesca (Sandoval) both, have set their minds that they’re going to be ready for next year,” he added.
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