The United States is represented by a full team of seven women and eight men at the 2006 World Weightlifting Championships.  The 2006 World Weightlifting Championships will count a little less than half of the Olympic qualification criteria for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.  The number of athletes that the United States will qualify to enter into the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China will be determined by team placement at both the 2006 and 2007 World Weightlifting Championships.

Leading the women's team is 2000 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time U.S. Olympian (2000 and 2004) Cheryl Haworth (75+kg/Savannah, Ga./Colorado Springs, Colo.).  In June 2006, Haworth moved to Colorado Springs to become a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.  The move also meant a new coach for Haworth, who left her coach in Savannah, Michael Cohen, to now hone her skills under Bob Morris , the head coach of the women's weightlifting program at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.  Haworth will compete in the World Weightlifting Championships on Saturday, October 7, the final day of the competition.

Also on the women's team is Natalie Woolfolk (63kg/Arnold, Md./Colorado Springs, Colo.), Jackie Berube (58kg/Colorado Springs, Colo.), Doreen Fullhart (75kg/Christiansburg, Va./Colorado Springs, Colo.), Amanda Hubbard (58kg/Atlanta, Ga./Chandler, Ariz.) and Teresa Gaume (69kg/St. Joseph, Mo.).

"The athletes are in good shape and I expect some good performances," said Bob Morris, Women's Team Assistant Coach.  "We're hoping to put ourselves in the position, at this point and time, where we will be able to qualify three to four athletes on the 2008 Olympic Team."

Casey Burgener (Bonsall, Calif./Colorado Springs, Colo.), the top ranked male weightlifter in the U.S., leads the U.S. on the men's side.  He is joined by 2004 U.S. Olympian Chad Vaughn (Konawa, Okla./Norman, Okla.), Lance Frye (Moorestown, Va.), Kendrick Farris (Shreveport, La.), Innocent Ukpong (Houston, Texas), Donald Shankle (Wichita Falls, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo.), Jeff Wittmer (Florissant, Mo.) and Anthony Martin (Savannah, Ga.).  Vaughn and Frye will get the U.S. men started tomorrow, Tuesday, October 3 with competition in the men's 77kg weight class.

"We're excited to get the Championships underway," said Paul Fleschler (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Men's Team Assistant Coach.  "It's something we've obviously been training for several months for as it is the biggest meet of the year.  We go in with high hopes.  This is our first Olympic qualifying event so we are trying to reinforce our guys to go in and be positive, confident and do the best they can to try to earn some slots for the 2008 Games."

The 2006 World Weightlifting Championships is being held in the Weightlifting Hall at the Parque Deportivo del Este in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  The site is familiar to two members of the USA Weightlifting Team as it is the same venue that hosted the 2003 Pan American Games Weightlifting competition.  Casey Burgener and Chad Vaughn were both members of the 2003 United States Pan American Games Team that competed in Santo Domingo.

2006 USA Weightlifting World Championships Team
Listed in rank order of team qualification

Women's Team
Cheryl Haworth (Savannah, Ga./Colorado Springs, Colo.), 75+kg Weight Class
Natalie Woolfolk (Arnold, Md./Colorado Springs, Colo.), 63kg Weight Class
Jackie Berube (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 58kg Weight Class
Doreen Fullhart (Christiansburg, Va./ Colorado Springs, Colo.), 75kg Weight Class
Melanie Roach (Bonney Lake, Wash.), 53kg Weight Class
Amanda Hubbard (Atlanta, Ga./Chandler, Ariz.), 58kg Weight Class
Teresa Gaume (St. Joseph, Mo.), 69kg Weight Class

Women's Team Head Coach:  John Thrush (Sumner, Wash.)
Women's Team Assistant Coach:  Bob Morris (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Carissa Gump (Essex Junction, Vt./Colorado Springs, Colo.), 63kg Weight Class qualified for the team, but declined due to injury

Men's Team
Casey Burgener (Bonsall, Calif./Colorado Springs, Colo.), 105+kg Weight Class
Chad Vaughn (Konawa, Okla./Norman, Okla.), 77kg Weight Class
Lance Frye (Moorestown, Va.), 77kg Weight Class
Kendrick Farris (Shreveport, La.), 85kg Weight Class
Innocent Ukpong (Houston, Texas), 85kg Weight Class
Donald Shankle (Wichita Falls, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo.), 105kg Weight Class
Jeff Wittmer (Florissant, Mo.), 94kg Weight Class
Anthony Martin (Savannah, Ga.), 94kg Weight Class

Men's Team Head Coach:  Leo Totten (Littletown, Pa.)
Men's Team Assistant Coach:  Paul Fleschler (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Robert Murphy (Sarasota, Fla./Colorado Springs, Colo.), 94kg Weight Class qualified for the team, but declined due to injury

2006 World Weightlifting Championships Schedule

Saturday, September 30, 2006
Men's 56kg Weight Class (Groups A,B and C) - No U.S. competitors
Men's 62kg Weight Class (Group C) - No U.S. competitors

Sunday, October 1, 2006
Men's 62kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - No U.S. competitors
Women's 48kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - No U.S. competitors
Men's 69kg Weight Class (Group A) - No U.S. competitors

Monday, October 2, 2006
Men's 69kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - No U.S. competitors
Women's 53kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Melanie Roach (Bonney Lake, Wash.)
Men's 77kg Weight Class (Group C)

Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Men's 77kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Lance Frye (Moorestown, Va.) and Chad Vaughn (Konawa, Okla./Norman, Okla.)
Women's 58kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Jackie Berube (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Amanda Hubbard (Atlanta, Ga./Chandler, Ariz.)
Women's 63kg and 69kg Weight Class (Group C)

Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Women's 63kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Natalie Woolfolk (Arnold, Md./Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Women's 69kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Teresa Gaume (St. Joseph, Mo.)
Men's 85kg Weight Class (Group C)

Thursday, October 5, 2006
Men's 85kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Kendrick Farris (Shreveport, La.) and Innocent Ukpong (Houston, Texas)
Women's 75kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Doreen Fullhart (Christiansburg, Va./ Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Men's 94kg Weight Class (Group C)

Friday, October 6, 2006
Men's 94kg Weight Class (Groups A and B) - Anthony Martin (Savannah, Ga.) and Jeff Wittmer (Florissant, Mo.)
Women's 75+kg Weight Class (Group B)
Men's 105kg Weight Class (Group B)
Men's 105+ Weight Class (Group B)

Saturday, October 7, 2006
Women's 75+kg Weight Class (Group A) - Cheryl Haworth (Savannah, Ga./Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Men's 105kg Weight Class (Group A) - Donald Shankle (Wichita Falls, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Men's 105+ Weight Class (Group A) - Casey Burgener (Bonsall, Calif./Colorado Springs, Colo.)