Muller brings home medal in snatch

Exira-EHK’s Bella Muller took home a national award Monday night in the snatch category competing against more than 20 other girls and finishing fourth overall in the national weight lifting competition in Colorado Springs.

“Competing in Colorado’s atmosphere didn’t seem much different then Iowa,” Muller said. “I know elevation makes a difference, but I didn’t see any effects of that. If anything, it was just harder sleeping in a bed that wasn’t my own.”

Muller competed in two events, the snatch and clean and jerk. In the snatch event, she took home a bronze medal.

“Bronze medal in the snatch meant everything to me,” Muller added. “I had a lot of competition … and the ones that I competed against were almost all a year older. A few were even on Team USA itself. Going into the competition we had one goal, beat the 16 year olds, and once we accomplished that we went for a medal.”

Muller managed to take a fourth place finish overall in weight category 64 where she finished with a total of 160, just 13 behind the leader, Devin Welker on Team GARAGE. She also took fourth place in the nation.

“This is the most weight I have ever lifted on competition,” she said. “My previous best in competition was a total of 153, so 160 was a 7 kilo competition pr.”

With a few more years of high school ahead of her, Muller has some goals she’d like to accomplish, including a rather sizable goal.

“Overall in lifting I’d like to make a world team, I want to lift for Team USA,” she added.

Muller’s next competition will take place at the end of the year when she will southeast to attempt earning a spot to compete. She also plans to continue working with her education which she credited her school for in making that happen.

“My future plans include lifting, more lifting, and competing,” Muller said. “In December, it looks like we’ll be going to South Carolina in order to lock in my spot on the team. I also plan to continue my college courses, working towards a nursing degree. My school has worked with me tremendously in order to make these opportunities available, and because of that, I’ll only be in school four hours a day and will be able to focus on college and lifting as my priorities.”