Raising PI Champions to NATIONALS - 2023 in Colorado Springs, CO June 24-July 2
“Building Healthier Hearts, Minds and Bodies”
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“Building Healthier Hearts, Minds and Bodies”
HELP LIFT UP LOCAL YOUTH
Announcing the 2023 PI Nationals team consisting of many who have already competed at the national level and a few who will be making their platform debut on the national stage! This year’s team includes..
Helping donate to accomplish the funding goal to send these athletes to this level of competition is important for various reasons. Sending them to compete at the national level will provide these athletes an opportunity to travel to and learn about different parts of the nation, an opportunity they otherwise more than likely would not have been able to be experience. It will serve to continuously inspire them to excel on and off the platform and lead by example on the national stage to inspire others around them including classmates, family, and the local community in Savannah. Additionally, it will reward them for the hard work and dedication they have poured into their craft, learning and training the Olympic lifts, all while balancing keeping up grades at school and acting responsibly and respectfully towards theirselves, coaches, teammates, and families.
ABOUT OUR PI CHAMPIONS
Help Lift UP Local Youth
The opportunity for these talented athletes to compete is immeasurable. Not only do they get to learn about other countries, cultures, and communities, these young people learn the importance of diplomacy, communication and developing long-term relationships around the world to build a stronger future and world for themselves and future generations.
FIRST TIME NATIONAL COMPETITORS
Introducing PI’s youngest national team members…..
Christopher (CJ) Walker - 10yrs old 73kg division
CJ comes from an athletic family of champions. He began attending PI with his cousin, Nia Walker, to work on improving academically. CJ is a very inquisitive and analytic young man, always with a smile and joke to make you laugh!
Ethan Walker, 13U/+73kg division
Ethan is a rising 7th grader, the older brother to CJ. Ethan is goal oriented and strives to be the best he can be on and off the platform. More quiet than most, he listens to everything he is taught and is eager to help and encourage his teammates!
Zachariah Hendrix 14 yrs. old/55kg division
“Zach” as we call him, is a rising Sophomore at Savannah High Early College. Zach is an Honor Roll student, balancing his education and training. Zach enjoys fixing things and using his skills to help around our PI Facility. “This experience has been fun for me ever since I began. It helps me focus and gain muscle. I am very excited to be able to represent my team and city at nationals.”
OUR PI CHAMPIONS …
Rundraneeka Jones 14 yrs. old/71kg division
“Run” is a rising Freshman attending the IB program at Sol.C Johnson High School this fall. Run was introduced to PI during online school , were she began learning weightlifting with her big sister, Janiah. She enjoyed the training and looks forward to developing into a high level competitor.
Corey initially started coming to PI with his older brother, Terrence, and friend, Isaac. He started coming after school when he was ten years old for help with homework and began learning the sport of weightlifting. It took him a little bit to truly learn and understand the importance and value of attending and practicing consistently. Once he began attending three to fives times a week, his grades and weightlifting improved. His first competition was a local meet at PI that qualified him for Youth Nationals. Due to covid, it was pushed back and moved online. He won his first national meet online at PI and took 1st place in the 13U/+73kg division. He continued training and qualified for the 2021 North American Open Series-East in Salt Lake City, UT, where he took his first plane ride to compete live nationally. He placed 2nd in snatch, 3rd in clean and jerk, and 3rd overall in the open division. At the 2022 USAW Youth Nationals in Las Vegas, he qualified for the 2022 Youth Pan American Championships held November 21-28 in Guatemala. There, he broke the Youth 15U Pan American records in the +102kg division, lifting six for six, snatching 118kg/259.6 lbs., clean & jerking 148kg/325.6 lbs., and totaling 266kg/585.2 lbs.
Corey competed a week later in a lower weight class (102kg) in Atlanta, GA at the USAW North American Open Finals where he snatched 120kg, clean & jerked 146kg, and totaled 266kg, earning him an invitation to once again represent Team USA at the 2023 IWF Youth World Championships March 21-April 1, 2023 in Duress, Albania.
Corey is a rising Sophomore at Savannah High School and a decorated Football player as well.
Nia Walker, age 21, 87kg/U23 division
Nia was first signed up for Performance Initiatives by her mother when she was ten years old due to being overweight. She was not too thrilled at first, but after traveling to compete for the first time, she found she really enjoyed the sport. She has accomplished a lot throughout her years competing. Her accolades are as follows:
- Won over 80 medals
- 3x Youth National Champion (2016, 2018, 2019)
- 2012 Jr. Olympic Champion
- 3x State Champion
- 2017 youth national record holder
- 2x TEAM USA member (2018 Youth Pan Am Team, 2019 Youth World Championship Team)
- 2019 IWF Youth World Championships
- TEAM USA 2019 IWF Youth Pan Am Team member
- 2020 JR National Champion (+87)
- 2020 JR Pan Am Team member
- 2021 North American open Series-East (+87kg/Silver medalist)
- 2022 USAW JR National Championships (+87/Silver Medalist)
- 2022 USAW U25 National Championships (+87/Silver Medalist)
She has traveled all over the USA. It has been a goal of hers to travel out of the country and compete for Team USA, and proudly qualified to compete at the 2022 FISU Games in Merida! She credits all of her accomplishments being made possible through prayer, hard work, and those who support her.
Tayon Vereen, SR +109 Division
Tayon Vereen is a 2023 graduate of Brewton Parker College with a BA in accounting. His accolades include:
— 2X JR World Team Member
— 2019 JR Pan American Champion
— 5 Nationals Titles
— 2023 University Record Holder