- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 398,096
- Reaction score
- 43
Mar. 18—Odessa High powerlifter Jairo Montes originally didn't expect to be competing at the state championships.
The junior qualified for regionals this year for the first time as a powerlifter, but didn't think he would get past the region until next year.
One can imagine his surprise when he found out that he got to state a year earlier than expected.
"I was very confused because of the different rules towards it and I didn't know that you had to hit a different goal to qualify for state, but I was very excited afterwards when I learned about it and found out I was going to state," Montes.
Montes will be competing at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association State Championship this Saturday in Abilene.
"I'm a little nervous, but I'm mostly excited," Montes said of competing this week.
He qualified out of the 220-pound weight at regionals back on March 6 which also took place in Abilene.
Montes' lifts at regionals included a630 in the squat, 380 in the bench press and 470 in the dead lift and posted a total of score of 1,480, enough for him to qualify for state.
"I was mostly hoping to get to regionals and then state next year," Montes said. "I didn't think I was going to make it to state this year."
Going into the region championship, Montes was just happy to be lifting at that competition after missing out last year.
"It meant a lot to me (qualifying for regionals) because I put in a lot of work during the summer and the school year," Montes said. "It was a good opportunity."
During the school year, powerlifting is the only sport that Montes does.
"Freshman year, I did football," Montes said. "I didn't like it, so I now just do powerlifting."
Montes said he spent all of spring break getting ready for state, focusing on his dead lift which he says is his weakest part.
"The whole week, I was lifting," Montes said. "My dead lift is my worst lift so I spent time working on that."
Montes said this week has been about focusing on school work in addition to getting mentally prepared for state.
As for his goals at state, he has his sights set on placing.
"I want to either finish first or get a medal," Montes said.
For Montes, one of his favorite parts about powerlifting is the support he gets from his teammates.
"I love how everyone around you is supporting you and tries to comfort you when you're going through something," Montes said. "They're there for you and I just like that."
He's earned the praise from his head coach Fred Howard.
"Being my first year at Odessa High, I was expecting nobody in the high-rankings and he jumped out of nowhere," Howard said. "Jairo has worked his tail off and he'll either be working out at 6 a.m. or 4 p.m. He's put in the work."
Continue reading...
The junior qualified for regionals this year for the first time as a powerlifter, but didn't think he would get past the region until next year.
One can imagine his surprise when he found out that he got to state a year earlier than expected.
"I was very confused because of the different rules towards it and I didn't know that you had to hit a different goal to qualify for state, but I was very excited afterwards when I learned about it and found out I was going to state," Montes.
Montes will be competing at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association State Championship this Saturday in Abilene.
"I'm a little nervous, but I'm mostly excited," Montes said of competing this week.
He qualified out of the 220-pound weight at regionals back on March 6 which also took place in Abilene.
Montes' lifts at regionals included a630 in the squat, 380 in the bench press and 470 in the dead lift and posted a total of score of 1,480, enough for him to qualify for state.
"I was mostly hoping to get to regionals and then state next year," Montes said. "I didn't think I was going to make it to state this year."
Going into the region championship, Montes was just happy to be lifting at that competition after missing out last year.
"It meant a lot to me (qualifying for regionals) because I put in a lot of work during the summer and the school year," Montes said. "It was a good opportunity."
During the school year, powerlifting is the only sport that Montes does.
"Freshman year, I did football," Montes said. "I didn't like it, so I now just do powerlifting."
Montes said he spent all of spring break getting ready for state, focusing on his dead lift which he says is his weakest part.
"The whole week, I was lifting," Montes said. "My dead lift is my worst lift so I spent time working on that."
Montes said this week has been about focusing on school work in addition to getting mentally prepared for state.
As for his goals at state, he has his sights set on placing.
"I want to either finish first or get a medal," Montes said.
For Montes, one of his favorite parts about powerlifting is the support he gets from his teammates.
"I love how everyone around you is supporting you and tries to comfort you when you're going through something," Montes said. "They're there for you and I just like that."
He's earned the praise from his head coach Fred Howard.
"Being my first year at Odessa High, I was expecting nobody in the high-rankings and he jumped out of nowhere," Howard said. "Jairo has worked his tail off and he'll either be working out at 6 a.m. or 4 p.m. He's put in the work."
Continue reading...
