Fifteen-year-old Erica Jacobson is setting the bar high for herself. (submitted photo/Hanna Jacobson)

By Nigel Maxwell

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Erica Jacobson has returned home from a successful trip to nationals.

Out of 22 athletes in her 58 kg weight class, she finished 11th.

“I didn’t expect a medal there. I set some personal goals and I met some of them,” Jacobson told paNOW.

With respect to her lifts, Jacobson completed a 48 kg snatch and a 65 kg clean and jerk.

The weekend’s competition in in La Praire, Quebec, represented Jacobson’s third time competing at junior nationals – once virtually and twice in person.

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Noting she enjoys the sportsmanship and technique of the sport, Jacobson began training at the age of eight. She explained she was inspired by her older sister Hanna who also enjoys weightlifting.

“I’d watch her lift and I kind of started from there,” she said.

With respect to future goals, Jacobson said by the end of next year, she would like to complete a 55 kg snatch and a 75 kg clean and jerk.

Older sister Hanna actually accompanied Erica to Nationals and expressed to paNOW how proud she was of her younger sister.

“The experience was awesome. Erica’s numbers have been increasing over the past year and it was exciting to see her try bigger weights at this competition,” she said.

Erica’s main coach is Ken Trofimuk, who is well known in both the local and provincial weightlifting communities and has trained a number of successful competitors.

Hanna noted she is personally currently working towards her own national coaching certification in weightlifting and Ken has been mentoring her for the past three years.

“This competition was the last of the season. I believe our goals for weightlifting is to continue increasing numbers,” she said.

In addition to weightlifting, Erica also competes in jiu-jitsu and Taekwondo. Hanna noted her sister hopes to make the National Taekwondo team and travel to Finland in September.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell