[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 140 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNITION OF U.S. WEIGHTLIFTING TEAM--MICHAEL COHEN, HEAD COACH; 
CHERYL HAWORTH; CARA HEADS-LANE; SUZANNE LEATHERS; MICHAEL MARTIN; AND 
                           OSCAR CHAPLIN III

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK KINGSTON

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 30, 2000

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Michael Cohen, head 
coach; Cheryl Haworth; Cara Heads-Lane; Suzanne Leathers; Michael 
Martin; and Oscar Chaplin III as members of the United States 2000 
Summer Olympic Weightlifting Team. All of these amazing individuals 
live in my Savannah, GA., part of my congressional district. They have 
worked hard and represented our country well. We should be proud of the 
way they represented our country.
  Michael Cohen the head coach of the U.S. Women's Olympic Team was an 
alternate for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team that was boycotted so he did 
not get to participate. In 1984 Cohen did not get the chance to compete 
again because he was an alternate. In 1988, he injured his back and was 
unable to compete. It was then that he realized that the only way he 
would make it into the Olympics was to be a coach and it was then he 
founded the Paul Anderson/Howard Cohen Weightlifting Center. He is a 
great coach and an inspiration to all of the people that come into his 
gym.
  Cohen had to wait some 20 years to experience his dream of 
participating in the Olympic Games. He was allowed to walk in the open 
ceremonies with all of the athletes. This was a treat because some 
countries do not allow the coaches to walk in the open ceremonies. 
Cohen's father started him lifting weights at the age of 5.
  Cheryl Haworth of Savannah, Georgia became the youngest U.S. athlete 
ever to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting when she earned a bronze 
medal in the women's plus 75kg with a total of 270.0kg. On her way to 
winning the bronze medal, Haworth set four American records--two in the 
snatch and two in the total.
  Haworth began lifting only three and a half years ago. She is the 
exception to the rule of training for many years equals success. She 
walked in the gym some three years ago in order to increase her 
strength for playing softball. As soon as she walked into the Paul 
Anderson/Howard Cohen Weightlifting Center the coaches at the gym 
immediately realized her amazing natural talent and began her training.
  Haworth is a three time national champion and holds every American 
record in her weight class. Haworth won America's only medal at the 
1900 Worlds, a bronze in the snatch.
  Cara Heads-Lane moved to Savannah, Georgia four years ago from Costa 
Mesa, California in order to train. She has been training since the age 
of 8 and has worked a long time in order to make it to the Olympics. 
Cara placed 7th in the Women's Heavyweight in the 2000 Olympic Games.
  Oscar Chaplin III was the first American in history to win Junior 
World Championship. Chaplin finished 12th in the men's Middle Weight in 
the 2000 Olympic Games. Chaplin has been lifting weights since the age 
of 9 and is ranked in the top 15. He holds the National Junior and 
Senior records for the last three years.
  Suzanne Leathers was an alternate for the 2000 Olympic Weightlifting 
Team. She moved to Savannah, GA. with her coach Donald McCauley to be 
in the weightlifting capitol. She and Donald decided that they would 
get married if she made the Olympic Team. So, on September 14, 2000 
they tied the knot in Australia. I wish them a happy and joyful life 
together.
  Michael Martin was the youngest person to ever make it on to an 
Olympic weightlifting team. He was picked as an alternate for the 2000 
Olympic Team. His sights are set for the 2004 Olympics.
  Please join me in applauding all of these fine young men and women. 
They have worked extremely hard to reach this momentous goal. Let us 
all look up to them and strive to work as hard as they have to reach a 
goal. Our society needs more people like them that work extremely hard 
to represent our country. These young people proved that our American 
youth are indeed the best.

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