Norwalk Cop Leads Wilton Lifting Team to Victory

WILTON, Conn. – Norwalk police officer Tom Sullivan won the best lifter award and led the Wilton-based Connecticut Weightlifting team to the team title in the Atlantic State Championships in Lynn, Mass.

Sullivan, a rookie officer on the Norwalk force, set a personal best of 150 kilograms (330 pounds) in the clean and jerk. He also lifted 117 kilos in the snatch.

“I’ve won a few of the outstanding lifter awards, but it’s always nice to get another one,’’ said Sullivan, 24, a former wrestler at Sacred Heart University. “They even joked about it at the meet. They said it’s starting to become routine.”

Sullivan’s lifts in last weekend's tournament led an outstanding day for the Wilton club, which is coached by Gary Valentine. Wilton's Bobby Wyman, 15, took first in his weight class, and Bobby Colontonio, 13, finished second in his division.

Other winners for Connecticut Weigthlifting in their weight classes included Clarke Nelson, Joe Rzeszutek, Eric Lundell and Josh Straiton. Valentine won the masters division and finished second in his weight class. Steve Zito took second in his weight class, and Mark Disanto finished fourth. Valentine was assisted at the meet by coaches Rich Baines and Joe Ridarelli.

Sullivan is an up-and-coming star on the weightlifting scene, Valentine said. Sullivan started working with Valentine while he was a student at Sacred Heart, but his training was interrupted by the police academy and summer breaks to work with his family’s lobster fleet in Narragansett, R.I. He graduated from Sacred Heart in 2008.

“I’m looking forward to this summer,’’ Sullivan said. “It’s the first time I’ll really be able to train year-round.”

The team will compete in the West Hartford Open on April 29. It will also offer a demonstration on Aril 21 at Wilton Sport and Fitness with Yuri Petunov, a former European bodybuilding champion. For more information, visit the club’s website at www.connecticutweightlifting.com or attend a training sessions by sending a message to Valentine at garyv@optonline.net.

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