One of the country's best female weightlifters lived up to expectations at the U.S. Olympic Festival.
Robin Byrd-Goad of Sumner, Wash., capped the first day of the event by breaking two of her American records.Competing in the 110-pound class, where she was 1994 world champion, Byrd-Goad started the night by setting a festival record with a snatch lift of 1761/4 pounds. Then she set an American record by lifting 2143/4 in the clean-and-jerk, and her total of 3911/4 was another American record. The previous marks were 2091/4 and 3853/4.
The only other weightlifting record to fall was a festival mark.
Vernon Patao of Wailuku, Hawaii, competing in the 141-pound class, had a total weight of 6003/4 pounds, breaking the record of 595 set by Bryan Jacob of Alpharetta, Ga., at the 1993 festival.
Monday marked the final festival race for roller skater Dante Muse, the most successful athlete in the history of this event.
Muse, a roller skater from West Des Moines, Iowa, won the 500-meter quad race and picked up a silver medal as part of the 4,000-meter relay. His four gold medals this year gave him 26 during his career.
Fourteen sports were on the schedule today, including the gold medal matches in boxing and the finals of the women's 3-meter and men's platform diving.
The top qualifier in the 3-meter was Erika Sorgi of Mission Viejo, Calif. Sorgi turned 13 just a few weeks ago and is the youngest diver in the competition.
Her score of 542.55 put her ahead of festival platform champion Eileen Richetelli of Milford, Conn. (529.86) and Vanessa Thelin of Provo (527.28). The finals will be held Tuesday.
On the platform, Sean Briscombe of Austin, Texas, scored 621.45 to finish as the top qualifier. Brian Earley of Irvine, Calif., was next with 613.05 and Mark Ruiz of Orlando, Fla., had 606.03.
At the swimming pool, Renee Wittendorfer of Mobile, Ala., won the 400-meter freestyle and anchored the third-place 400 medley relay team to finish the meet with six medals.
Jenny Hennen of Anoka, Minn., Mark Bennett of Santa Maria, Calif., and Elaine Schwartz of Mount Laurel, N.J. each won five medals. Hennen wound up with three golds, as did Amanda Beard of Irvine, Calif., and Steve Barnes of Osceola, Ind.