Women competed in seven weight classes in this event, from 48 kilograms to 75+ kilograms. The lighter classes had the better competitors and the heavy classes generally attracted women from the throwing events in Track & Field.
Maryse Turcotte is going to the Olympics and has a chance for a medal. She said that the officials would pick one additional competitor at this event. I never did find out who that person was. In weightlifting, countries are assigned the number of competitors that they can send to the Olympics by the international association (IWF, I think). This assignment is based on placings at past world championships.
Maryse, standing 5' ½", was competing in the 58 kilogram (128 pound) class and lifted over 200 kilograms in her two lifts. In the same class was Meil McGerrigle, who although injured, did well in the snatch lift. Maryse's sister, Karine Turcotte competed in the 48 kilogram class, winning that as well.
The only black girl in the competition, Pascale Dorcelus, won her class (139 pound). Not surprisingly, with a name like Pascale, she is from French-speaking Haiti. In the same class was Marie-Josee Pepin who was a former member of the national track team as a hurdler.
The return of Theresa Brick was a pleasant surprise. She told me that she was back from having a child, but a recent news item regarding Merlene Ottey's overturned drug test mentioned that this was good news for Theresa. Theresa is a shotputter, discus thrower and hammer thrower. I recall a few years ago I tested the 1/8000 second shutter on my Hi8 camcorder by taping her throwing the hammer directly in front of me. She won the 75 kilogram class.
Noreena Bodaglo is also a track thrower. She has some playful attributes to her personality, being someone you could easily imagine accidentally damaging furniture, but smiling about it. She placed third in her class behind Susanne Dandenault. Noreena stands 6 feet tall and weighed in at 200 pounds.
Thanks to Polyglot for these.
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