Maricopa Sports Reporter Michael Carotenuto sat down with Coach Joe Micela and talked about the Olympics and his experience. This is the second time Coach Micela has been featured on Maricopa Sports TV. Coach Micela teaches an Olympic Weightlifting Class at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona.
First night in Russia and I had dinner with a former Russian Weightlifter, Maxim Agapitov, who used to know the famous Russian Greco Roman Wrestler Alexander Karelin. He used to train in the same complex as Karelin. He said Alexander was on the few wrestlers who used to come over to the Weightlifting center and ask to be trained. Maxim said he was very strong and that he could Back Squat 280 kilos, Dead Lift 260, and Clean over 200 kilos. He would tell Maxim it was because of this strength that allowed him to dominate the International Wrestling scene for over 12 years. Once again another reason why wrestlers must train for strength and power and not just pure aerobic conditioning.
In October, I went to Russia for a Weightlifting Competition in St. Petersburg. The event was held in an Ice Hockey Arena. In one of the arenas there were the St. Petersburg Junior National Hockey Team. These kids were training there butts off. I was very impressed with the level of discipline and attention to detail that every athlete had in practice. These kids train for Hockey all day long. Very impressive.
2012 Olympic Coach Joe Micela and 4x National Champion and Olympian Sarah Robles where at Scottsdale CrossFit for the SICFIT interview prior to the SICest of the Southwest CrossFit event in Phoenix, Arizona on October 20th. Coach Micela started off the first WOD of the competition which was Max Clean & Jerk in 3 minutes.
Coach Joe Micela and 6x Greco National Champion and Sunkist Wrestling Coach James Johnson at Arizona State University Wrestling Team’s Wrestle Off. Both Coaches coached at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Friday night was a big night for our Competition Bench Pressers. Big Nick Summers hit 3×2 with 450 lbs and then 3×1 with 500 lbs. He was extremely fired up so I let him hit 515, and 525 lbs for a couple of extra sets. His training partner Doran J. did the same but stayed at 500 for the singles. Both guys then finished with 6×4 Close Grip Bench Press with 365 lbs. Not a bad night for these guys. They are progressing nicely. 2013 will be their year for big competitions and big weights.
At the President’s Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with International Weightlifting Legend David Rigert. He had just recently stepped down as the Head Coach of the Russian National Team. He was very nice and spoke about his first World Championships that he won in Columbus, Ohio. In this picture with us is Horacio Reis, father of Pan American Super Heavyweight Champion Fernando Reis. Mr. Reis is a great man and we had a good time in Russia.
2008 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 105+ Kilo Class Mattias Steiner from Germany and me in the Training Hall of the 2012 Olympics in London, England. I first met Mattias back in 2003 at the World Weightlifting Championships in Vancouver, Canada. He was lifting for his home country of Austria then. We went out that night together with some friends from the Italian and German Weightlifting Team. We lost touch but he still remembered me and came over to say a few words in London. I wished him well and told him I followed his career and wished him success in the meet. Mattias is a true champion on and off the platform and I consider myself honored to have met him. We need more people like him in the sport.
