The 2026 Pan American Weightlifting Championships took place from April 27 to 30 in Panama City, Panama. The four-day competition saw dozens of impressive lifters display incredible feats of strength, but Olivia Reeves was arguably the biggest star of the show. She competed in the 69-kilogram weight class and ended up securing gold for the second year in a row.
Olivia Reeves’ Full Performance Overview
Snatch
Olivia Reeves had an unlucky start to the 2026 Pan American Weightlifting Championships, having missed her Snatch opener of 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds). However, she returned to the competition floor a couple minutes later to face the same weight, and this time the outcome was completely different. Her second attempt was very smooth and quick, making it a true display of world-class technique and power.
With one attempt remaining, Olivia Reeves decided to go for a 121-kilogram (266.8-pound) Snatch. She had the intention to exceed the World Record. However, she fell just short of achieving the lift. Olivia got the barbell above her head, but before she could rise to lockout, the barbell started falling behind her and there was no way to stop it.
- Unsuccessful — 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds)
- 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds)
- Unsuccessful — 121 kilograms (266.8 pounds)
Clean & Jerk
The Clean & Jerk session started more successfully for Olivia Reeves. She loaded 143 kilograms (315.3 pounds) for her first attempt, which moved like an empty bar. With that in mind, Olivia added 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) for her second attempt. She cleaned the weight with ease but had to take a few steps to stabilize the bar after the jerk. Nonetheless, she still walked away with a successful lift.
Olivia Reeves decided to stick to the same strategy when it came to her final Clean & Jerk, increasing it by another 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds), which came out to 151 kilograms (332.9 pounds). She managed to clean the weight once again but failed in the early stages of the Jerk motion. This would have also been a very significant lift for her, as it would have exceeded the World Record by 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds).
- 143 kilograms (315.3 pounds)
- 147 kilograms (324.1 pounds)
- Unsuccessful — 151 kilograms (332.9 pounds)
Total — 262 kilograms (577.6 pounds)
Watch Olivia Reeves’ lifts here:
Olivia Reeves has been on an incredible streak in recent years, which made her one of the most prominent figures in the sport. She has now defended her Pan American Weightlifting Championships title but has also previously won gold at the 2024 Olympics and 2024-2025 World Championships, along with other impressive achievements. She continuously proves that she is one of the greatest weightlifters ever seen and has accumulated a lot of success already despite being just 23 years old.
