Hope Stockel and Lillian Peck each won gold medals to lead Team Georgia’s 13-and-under women’s team to a national championship Friday at the 2008 School Age Weightlifting Championships at Disney’s World Wide of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Stockel, a student at C.W. Davis Middle School won the gold medal in the 53 kilogram weight class with a snatch of 35 kg and clean and jerk of 49 kg, setting a new personal record.

Peck, a student at Chestatee Middle School won the gold medal in the 58 kg weight class with a snatch of 30 kg and a clean and jerk of 43 kg.

The 13-and-under team sealed the national championship with a strong performance by Christina Foster of C.W. Davis Middle School in the 58-plus kg weight class. Foster set three personal records with a snatch of 34 kg and a clean and jerk of 42 kg for a total of 76 kg. Foster was awarded the Rich Shutz Award for making all 6 of her lifts.

While the 13-and-under boys team also had a strong meet for Team Georgia, placing second in that age classification.

Trey Luttrell, 8, finished fifth in the 35 kg. class with a snatch of 22 kg and a clean and jerk of 26 kg.
Dylan Byers of Union County competed in the 56 kg. class and won third place.

Drew Gamel of Douglas County competed in the 69 kg class and finished second snatching 52 kg and clean and jerking 61 kg for a total of 113 kg., which was also a new personal record.

“I am extremely proud of the performance and competitive efforts of all our athletes and our coaches,” Team Georgia Weightlifting coach C.J. Stockel said.