Telegraph Staff Writer
Kaylee Wright became the first girls weightlifter to earn a state medal for Keystone Heights High School in nine years, placing sixth in the 183-pound class at the Feb. 12 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A Finals, which were held at Port St. Joe High School.
Wright finished with a 315-pound overall total. She bench pressed 155 and 165 on her first two attempts before missing a third attempt of 175. Her best clean and jerk was 150 after an opening attempt of 140. Wright unsuccessfully attempted 160 on her third attempt.
Medals are awarded to the top six in each weight class. Wright earned the last medal in her class by placing 10 pounds ahead of Suwannee’s Erin Starling.
Madison Atwood of Imagine School at North Point won the 183-pound class championship with a 465 overall total.
This was Wright’s second straight year qualifying for state. She improved her bench press by 10 pounds and her clean and jerk by 15 pounds from last season.
Wright’s Keystone teammate Grace Wagner earned her first-ever trip, finishing 10th in the 139 class with a 275 total. Wagner was successful on all three of her bench-press attempts (120, 125, 130). She did 140 on her second clean-and-jerk attempt after missing it on her first try and then successfully did 145 on her final attempt.
Branford’s Evie Pitts won the 139 class championship with an overall total of 385.
Each class consisted of 20 competitors.
