Reeves Follows Olympic Crown with World Title, Goes Undefeated in 2024

MANAMA, Bahrain - Olivia Reeves is perfect in 2024. The 21-year-old from Chattanooga, Tennessee, won gold Wednesday night at 71 kg at the IWF Senior World Championships in Manama, Bahrain, after snatching 120 kg and clean & jerking 147 kg for a 267 kg total, defeating competitors from international powerhouses China and North Korea in the process. The victory capped off a year of dominance for Reeves who kicked off 2024 with a four kilo victory in Thailand at the IWF World Cup before going on to claim gold at the Paris Olympics by five kilos. Between those two international competitions she also lifted at the USA Weightlifting National Championships in Pittsburgh where she set the senior women’s 71 kg American records for the snatch, clean and jerk, and total. Reeves’ 2024 resumé also includes the European Championships in February where she outlifted the competition by 14 kg, but she was ineligible for a medal there as the U.S. were guest lifters.

2024 IWF Senior World Championships Results

Reeves’ 120 kg snatch in Bahrain equaled her American record from USAW Nationals and was one kilo shy of Angie Palacios’ world record. Reeves took silver in the snatch behind China’s Qiuxia Yang who tied Palacios’ record. In the C&J, Reeves took gold by 1 kg (147 kg) over North Korea’s Chun Hui Jong (146 kg). Of the nine U.S. weightlifters to compete thus far at the World Championships, Reeves is the lone medalist for Team USA. The win marks Reeves’ fifth time finishing on the podium at an age-group world championship (1 Sr. Bronze, 1 Jr. Gold, 1 Jr. Silver, 1 Yth Silver).

Competition opened with 40-year old Cici Kyle rewriting the USA masters age 40-44 45 kg American records and setting a trio of masters world records after lifting 72/95/167 for a fifth place finish. She was followed by Caden Cahoy’s 145/187/332 day at 73 kg that placed him sixth overall and in a favorable position in USAW’s newly announced National Team Program. Sixty four kg lifters Katie Estep and Sophie Shaft both had competitions to remember in their respective senior national team debuts. Estep went 6-for-6 on the platform, lifted 98 kg in the snatch, and tied the junior 64 kg American record with her 123 kg C&J. Shaft snatched 101 kg to set a new American record before clean and jerking 124 kg to surpass her own C&J American record and set a new junior 64 kg total record.

At 81 kg, Eddie Ginnan made his international debut where he went 3-for-3 in snatches and set a seven kilo total personal record after lifting 150/184/334. Brandon Victorian followed with a 56/189/345 day at 89 kg. Finally, Meredith Alwine competed alongside Reeves at 71 kg and lifted 101/132/233 for an eighth place finish. This was likely Alwine’s final international competition after seven years and 20 meets representing the U.S.

Nine more weightlifters have yet to compete for Team USA in Bahrain. Tokyo 2020 Olympian Mattie Rogers is next up at noon Eastern in the 76 kg A session. The competition can be watched live via Weightlifting House TV.