12 to Represent USA at Junior Pan American Championships

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by Preston Fekkes

COLORADO SPRINGS - The first international competition of 2025 for USA Weightlifting is here. The 2025 Pan American Junior Championships run March 9-16 in Havana, Cuba, and the United States is sending 12 athletes to compete. U.S. competition runs March 11-14. The championships are the lone qualifier for the 2025 Pan American Games, and will thus be held in the new weight classes. The team features 2024 Junior World Champion Ella Nicholson, in addition to four additional lifters who featured on the 2024 Junior World Championships team - Kyle Martin Jr., Ryan McDonald, Nicole Caamano, and Kailey Papas.


Live stream (Pan American Federation Youtube)

Full start book


Team USA brought ten athletes of each gender to the 2024 Pan American Junior Championships and came home with the second-most medals ever by an American team with 39. Three athletes - Caden Cahoy, Miranda Ulrey, and Nicholson - swept gold in their category. Nicholson is the lone returner of that group.


The Junior Pan American Championships will be utilizing the following bodyweight categories:

Men: 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, 88kg, 98kg, 110kg, +110kg

Women: 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg, +86kg

2025 Junior Pan American Championships Team#

Name Wclass Hometown Best Snatch Best C&J Best Total Coaches Name Club Instagram College
Ella Nicholson 77kg Medina, OH 113kg 133kg 244kg Trey Vaughan Root 18 Weightlifting ellanich0lson N/A
Nicole Caamano 69kg Spring Hill, FL 99kg 120kg 219kg Danny Camargo Oly Concepts nicolecaamanoo N/A
Kailey Papas 63kg Jacksonville, FL 93kg 110kg 203kg Chad Chaoy Jacksonville Weightlifting kailey.papas University of North Florida
Jade Morales 53kg Redwood City, CA 76kg 99kg 175kg Kevin Doherty Hassle Free jade.moraless N/A
Anna Rucker 63kg San Antonio, TX 85kg 112kg 197kg Brittany Rucker Bexarbarbell annag_lifts N/A
Grace Montgomery 77kg Indianapolis, IN 90kg 114kg 204kg Trenton Crain Lindenwood Lions grace.montgomery.713 Lindenwood University
Jaycee Mann 53kg Selma, IN 78kg 93kg 171kg Brandon Mann The Weight Room jaycee_mann_ N/A
Kaylee Landa 86kg Queen Creek, AZ 92kg 115kg 207kg Eric Bramwell Power and Grace Performance kayleelanda_lifts N/A
Jaedyn Orton 48kg Buford, GA 59kg 73kg 132kg Jance Footit 5 Rings Barbell jaedyndenae N/A
Ryan McDonald 88kg Schuylkill Haven, PA 143kg 183kg 326kg Dane Miller Garage Strength ryanmcdonald73k N/A
Kyle Martin Jr. 88kg Fleetwood, PA 143kg 176kg 318kg Dane Miller Garage Strength kyle_martinjr N/A
Logan Lockwood 71kg South Lyon, MI 120kg 145kg 265kg Matt Adamcheck 4 Star Strength lockwood_067 N/A

Nine U.S. women and three men qualified and accepted invites to the junior championships. The women’s side is led by top-ranked lifter Ella Nicholson, 19, at 77 kg. She has hit 117.31% of her USAW A standard – a mark over 10% higher than any other American on the trip. She set a 76 kg senior American record in the snatch and junior American record in the total at the 2024 IWF Junior World Championships when she lifted 113/131/244 to sweep gold. Nicholson was excitedly set to represent the U.S. at the 2024 Senior World Championships before having to withdraw due to a minor injury. This will be her first competition since winning the junior world title.


Nicole Caamano, 20, is set to take the platform at 69 kg. She is back at the event after earning bronze in the snatch and total at the 2024 edition of the championships. Caamano placed sixth at the 2024 IWF Junior World Championships after lifting 98/117/215. Kailey Papas will feature at 63 kg. She brought home a 59 kg bronze medal in the snatch at last year’s junior championships. The 20-year-old has been lifting at 71 kg and hit her best marks at the 2024 North American Open Finals when she lifted 93/110/203.


Ryan McDonald, 18, has the highest percentage of the USAW A standard for the men. He took fourth across the board at 73kg at the 2024 Junior Pan American Championships and followed it up with a ninth-place finish at the IWF World Junior Championships. He has recently been lifting at 81 kg and has gained 18 kg on his total, bringing his best to 308 kg.


Kyle Martin Jr. narrowly missed a podium spot at the junior Pan Ams last year. He finished fourth in the snatch at 89 kg and fifth in the C&J and total. Martin will compete at 88 kg in Cuba. Rounding out the men’s team is Logan Lockwood, 19, at 71 kg. His last international competition was the 2023 IWF World Youth Championships in which he placed tenth at 61 kg. Lockwood has since added 36 kg to his total, going from 229 kg to 265 kg.


Team USA Schedule - start times Eastern

March 11

12:30 p.m. - Jaedyn Orton, 48kg A

4:30 p.m. - Jade Morales, Jaycee Mann, 53kg A


March 12

3:00 p.m. - Logan Lockwood, 71kg A

5:00 p.m. - Anna Rucker, Kailey Papas, 63kg A


March 13

3:30 p.m. - Ryan McDonald, Kyle Martin Jr., 88kg A

5:30 p.m. - Nicole Caamano, 69kg A


March 14

1:00 p.m. - Ella Nicholson, Grace Montgomery, 77A

4:30 p.m. - Kaylee Landa, 86kg A

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