Damon Kelly
Encyclopedia
Damon Kelly is an Australian weightlifter who competed at the 2008 Olympic Games finishing ninth. Damon recorded lifts of 165 kg in the Snatch and 221 kg in the Clean and Jerk with a total of 386 kg. He was the biggest member of the Australian Olympic Team and was Australia's only male weightlifter at the Games, having secured the sole position with a personal best lift on his final attempt at the Olympic Nomination Trials.
Kelly won a Silver Medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in the 105 kg+ division and Gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and holds the Commonwealth Games record for the Clean and Jerk
. He has been undefeated at the Australian Championships since 2006 and is also the reigning Oceania
champion.
Kelly started weightlifting as a 15 year old at St Laurence's College
in Brisbane
where he also excelled at Rugby Union
, playing in the First XV alongside Australian national rugby league team
halfback
Cooper Cronk
, and Shot Put
, setting the college record.
He trains at Cougars Weightlifting Club in Brisbane
under coach Miles Wydall
.
Kelly won a Silver Medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in the 105 kg+ division and Gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and holds the Commonwealth Games record for the Clean and Jerk
Clean and jerk
The clean and jerk is one of the two Olympic weightlifting events .The clean portion of the lift refers to the lifter explosively pulling the weight from the floor to a racked position across deltoids and clavicles...
. He has been undefeated at the Australian Championships since 2006 and is also the reigning Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
champion.
Kelly started weightlifting as a 15 year old at St Laurence's College
St Laurence's College
St Laurence's College is an independent, Roman Catholic school for boys located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1915...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
where he also excelled at Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, playing in the First XV alongside Australian national rugby league team
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
halfback
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
Cooper Cronk
Cooper Cronk
Cooper Patrick Cronk is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Storm of the NRL...
, and Shot Put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
, setting the college record.
He trains at Cougars Weightlifting Club in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
under coach Miles Wydall
Miles Wydall
Miles Wydall is an Australian weightlifting coach who coaches at Cougars Weightlifting Club in Brisbane. Miles has coached for over a decade and coaches Damon Kelly, who competed at the 2008 Olympic Games, and 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Ben Turner...
.
Personal bests
| Lift | Weight | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Snatch | 176.0 kg | 11 October 2010 |
| Clean & Jerk | 222.0 kg | 7 June 2008 |
| Total | 397.0 kg | 11 October 2010 |
| Lift | Weight |
|---|---|
| Front Squat | 255.0 kg |
| Back Squat | 310.0 kg |