Connor Mathews held his final clean and jerk lift just long enough for it to count, stumbling backwards on the platform but keeping his balance as he fought to avoid passing out.


Surrounded by a couple of fellow lifters, and his coach, Garrett Bagley, Mathews crouched down on the floor, overcome with emotion.

Ryan Ragan has a simple approach when he steps up to the plate. And it works.


“You can’t think too much. You just have to swing the bat,” Ragan said.