LAI: the Tainas and the Gallitos win the university weightlifting championship

The Tainos of the Ana G. Mendez University won this Saturday their second consecutive championship in weightlifting of the Interuniversity Athletic League (LAI), while the Gallitos of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Rio Piedras campus won the scepter in the male branch.

The Tainas closed Friday’s day in fourth position, however, with a great collective performance by Natasha Texidor in the 81+ kilograms, they revalidated as champions with 579 points.

“I am very proud of my work. This motivates me a lot for the Jousts, where I am the shot put champion. The team helped me a lot”said Teixidor.

“This was hard work with the team. It was great to see how Natasha (Texidor) was able to win three gold medals in her division and give us the championship. “I am very proud of all of them.”expressed, for his part, the coach, Luis Lamenza.

Teixidor, who is the shot put champion in the athletics competitions, participates in weightlifting for the first time.

The runner-up trophy went to the Jerezanas of the UPR of Rio Piedras with 562 points. Third place went to the Tigresses of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) with 561 points. On the other hand, the award for the most valuable student-athlete went to Issi Agrait of 59 kilos.

In the men, the Gallitos returned to the throne after adding 592 points, dropping the Tarzanes of the UPR of Mayaguez to third position with 353 points.

“The team worked super well. The difference was that I was calmer, not thinking about the points. “This was day by day, a collective effort, not just one athlete.”commented the head coach of the Gallitos and the Jerezanas, Ruben Olmedo.

The runner-up trophy went to the UIPR Tigers with 577 points. The most valuable prize in the men’s category was won by the UIPR student-athlete, Yomar Lopez, in the 96 kilo division.

Unlike previous editions, the weightlifting competition changed the weights to those of the international standard. So every gold medal-winning athlete set a new mark in the history of the LAI.