The Queensland Masters team has delivered an outstanding performance at this year’s Australian Masters Championships, held at the picturesque Lakes Resort Hotel in West Lakes, South Australia. This event was held in conjunction with the United Masters Weightlifting Federation World Championships.
Outstanding Results Across the Board
Queensland’s performance on the platform was nothing short of exceptional:
🥇 Women’s Team Shield Champions, securing first place with 215 points.
🥈 Men’s Team achieved an impressive second place, finishing just behind South Australia.
Collectively, this marks one of the most successful outcomes for the Queensland Masters team in recent years and reflects the strength and depth of the Queensland team across all divisions.
Big Lifts and Big Wins
There were plenty of standout individual performances:
30 athletes hit personal bests, with 14 athletes improving across all three lifts
🏆Best Lifter W70: Julie Davis (SHMF Score 180.64)
🏆Best Lifter W55: Marne Jakins (SHMF Score 239.61)
🏆Best Lifter M40: Justin Connor (SHMF Score 357.80)
Largest Total PB: Johanna Mast (+10kg).
Largest Snatch PBs: Esther Cuk, Tinkham Vongphrachanh and Zac Chen (+5kg).
Largest Clean & Jerk PB: Kayla Driscoll (+6kg).
41 State and National Records were broken across multiple age and weight categories.
These achievements reflect not only the dedication of the athletes but also the strength of the Masters program in Queensland.
A True Team Effort
Importantly, the success of the Queensland team extended beyond medals and records. Athletes demonstrated professionalism, resilience, and sportsmanship throughout the competition, supporting one another and contributing to a strong and unified team presence.
A huge thank you to our volunteers for their time and effort, including Head Coach Jemma Cowper, Assistant Coaches Ally Macdonald, Ben Trousdell, Bonney Douglas, Cooper Lydement, Dale Donaghue, and Fraser Harrison, as well as Team Leader Erika Yamasaki.
Looking Ahead
Our Queensland Masters athletes are truly the backbone of weightlifting in Queensland. Many serve as the constant pillars of our community—volunteers, coaches, referees, and our biggest supporters. Seeing them step onto the national stage and perform at such a high level is both well deserved and a reflection of their ongoing dedication and contribution to the sport.
PS. We are sorry to dampen spirits but we have just heard of the passing of Ray Louden member of SCWC and longtime supporter of the QWA. We wish his family and friends our sincere condolences.