Jamaican discus thrower Chad Wright demonstrated his versatility and strength by claiming gold in the Men’s 109kg category at the Phillips & Springer Weightlifting Classic, held in Barbados from November 30 to December 2. Wright, a 2013 CAC Games champion and finalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, delivered a standout performance, setting personal bests in both the snatch and clean and jerk.

 Wright lifted 133kg in the snatch and followed it up with an impressive 162kg in the clean and jerk, totaling 295kg—a new personal best. Reflecting on his achievement, Wright shared his excitement on social media, calling it an "amazing experience" and expressing gratitude to his coaches, teammates, and organizers for their support.

 At 33 years old, Wright is no stranger to athletic success, having won the NCAA discus title for the University of Nebraska in 2012 and consistently performing on the international stage in discus. However, his foray into competitive weightlifting marks a new chapter in his career. Wright revealed that weightlifting has always been a part of his training regimen for discus and has now become a passion in its own right.

 "I am loving it," Wright told Sportsmax.TV. "It’s actually been part of my throwing gym programme since the day I started throwing, and I have loved it. Since going into it competitively, I’ve grown to love it even more."

 Despite his burgeoning weightlifting career, Wright remains committed to discus, noting that his throwing has improved significantly since focusing on weightlifting. "My throwing has been going really well. It’s actually going exceptionally well since I started getting better at weightlifting," he said. Wright plans to compete in a throws meet later this month and is confident about managing both sports effectively.

 Wright has ambitious plans for 2024, including competing at the Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Colombia next July and the Commonwealth Games qualifier in Barbados at a later date. His success at the Phillips & Springer Classic has fueled his confidence as he eyes more milestones in both weightlifting and discus.