Several Lindenwood Olympic weightlifters earned medals at the National Junior Championships this past weekend in Itasca, Illinois.
 
Darren Barnes won the 56 kg weight class as a representative of the Lions while brother Darrel Barnes became the junior champion in the 62 kg weight class, going five for six in his lift attempts with a total of 246 kg.  Austin Rodriguez earned a third place finish in the same weight class as he set a personal record in the clean and jerk.  Tyler Leet finished eighth in the 69 kg weight class in his first National Junior Championships competition. 
 
In other action, Sheldon Stuckart earned the silver medal in the 69 kg weight class.  He won the snatch portion of the event and set a personal record in the process, and was able to qualify for the Senior National Championships in Ohio in early March.
 
The National Junior Championships featured over 140 of the top 20-and-under weightlifters in the country and served as the last qualifier for the Junior World Championships in Guatemala in May.  The top eight men and top seven women make the team and Darrel and Darren Barnes will be among the U.S. representatives this summer.