USA Weightlifting (USAW) CEO Phil Andrews hailed the dedication of his staff after they successfully hosted the largest virtual Olympic competition in the build up to Tokyo 2020.
Originally intended to be a live event in Atlanta, the American Open Finals were moved online after a surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States.
Despite the entire USAW workforce being forced to work from home, the event ran smoothly and had a remarkable 994 entries across the four days of competition.
"I’m in awe of the way my team once again navigated the challenges presented to them and we are lucky to be able to count on our wonderful volunteers, members, and athletes," Andrews said.
"While we have become accustomed to hosting virtual events throughout 2020, this was the first competition where we were without access to our office computer system."
All of the lifts were broadcast live and free on TeamUSA.org and technical officials helped to run the event from nearly 90 computers across the United States, each officiating from their homes.
USAW were also keen to show value for their sponsors and hosted a virtual vendor village alongside the competition.
"This has undoubtedly been a difficult year for sponsors with many organisations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and we are grateful for their continued support," Andrews continued.
"We’re desperate to get back to hosting live events but will continue to be patient and prove the value of our sponsorships through other creative means."
As part of the event, Team USA athletes secured their pathway to the final qualification events for the rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games.
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