Although many athletes at FFHS are ecstatic to be chosen to the All-Conference team, sophomore weightlifter Taylor Cahoon has proven himself not only in North Carolina, but across the nation as one of the top weightlifters in his class. In the past two years, he competed in national competitions that qualified him for a spot on the United States National team. The team traveled to Thailand from May 17 to May 25 for the School Aged Weightlifting World Championships.

            “I went to school age nationals last year for kids that are 16 and 17,” Cahoon said. “I placed first with a total of over 500 pounds. Right after I went to my junior competition this year and placed third, I got a call from the Olympic training center saying that I had qualified for the world team.”

            Cahoon placed 20th out of 24 lifters at the World Championship. He trained for the competition with his coach Gene Flynn of the OBX Weightlifting club. Cahoon didn’t have much time to prepare for the event, but Flynn said that it was not a big problem because Cahoon works out year round. Cahoon now will compete in the National School Age Championships in three weeks.

            “We didn’t find out about (the world competition) until March, so we only had a month and a half to get ready for it but he trains consistently all year round, so he was ready,” Flynn said. “I’m sure he would have liked to done better, but he knows what he has to do because in three weeks we go to Georgia for the school age national championships and he is going to try to defend his title. There are some guys that are gunning for him so that’s why he just got off a twenty hour flight from Thailand and he’s coming in tonight to work out. So you can see his dedication.”

During the competition, lifters are not judged simply on how much they lift; their weight is also taken into account.

            “I’m in the 175 pound weight class,” Cahoon said. “Usually the lighter that you weigh the better you do because they use a formula with your weight and how much you have lifted to compare you (to the other lifters.)”

            The trip to Thailand was mostly business, but Cahoon was able to experience some of the local tourist attractions with his team as well. The long plane ride was a new experience for Cahoon.

            “I have never been on that long of a plane ride before. It was pretty bad; it was like a 24-hour plane ride all together,” Cahoon said. “(After we got to Thailand) it was mostly business, but we did go to a zoo. We had some elephant rides and river rides. It was good; I tried a lot of exotic foods.”

            Cahoon believes that the travel time may have had a small effect on his performance at the competition.

            “I performed about how I expected to,” Cahoon said. “I did four pounds under my best total, but considering the traveling and different climate, it was pretty good.”