In just a few weeks’ time, Jake Schrom will fly to Tokyo, Japan to represent Team USA for Para Powerlifting at the postponed 2020 Paralympic Games. However, for Team USA Para Powerlifting Team High Performance Manager and Coach Mary Hodge, they are already looking to fall 2022 and beyond.
On July 24, nine of 11 competing athletes qualified for Team USA Para Powerlifting in Ashland, Virginia, at a regional qualifier hosted by Samaritan’s Walk, a USA Para Powerlifting Regional Hub.
“We were happy to have athletes in a competitive arena again, especially at an event that was wonderfully executed by Samaritan’s Walk,” said Coach Hodge.
The nine athletes selected for Team USA Para Powerlifting qualified to compete at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Batumi, Georgia, this upcoming November. Additional upcoming competitions to qualify for Team USA World Para Powerlifting include another regional qualifier in San Antonio, Texas, hosted by Morgan’s Wonderland and the 2022 America’s Open Championship in St. Louis, taking place at the Purser Center on Logan University’s campus.
The nine athletes who qualified for the World Para Powerlifting Championships are:
- Bobby Body
- Ashley Dyce
- Blaze Foster
- Jacob Herbert
- Christian Largo
- Alex Gonzalez Poma
- Garrison Redd
- Ahmed Shafik
- Kelli Anne Stallkamp
When asked about the development of Team USA Para Powerlifting, Coach Hodge remarks, “I’m excited for the growth of this sport, this organization and these athletes. We look forward to qualifying more athletes and growing the team in the coming years. We are enthusiastic to play a part in developing more Team USA Para Powerlifting athletes with larger goals to represent Team USA in Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.”