Damon Joseph Kelly (born 1 December 1983 in Atherton, Queensland) is an Australian weightlifter who competed at the 2008 Olympic Games finishing ninth.[1] Damon recorded lifts of 165 kg in the Snatch and 221 kg in the Clean and Jerk with a total of 386 kg. He was the biggest member of the Australian Olympic Team and was Australia's only male weightlifter at the Games,[2] having secured the sole position with a personal best lift on his final attempt at the Olympic Nomination Trials.

Damon Kelly
Personal information
Full nameDamon Joseph Kelly
Nationality Australia
Born (1983-12-01) 1 December 1983 (age 41)
Atherton, Queensland
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight151 kg (333 lb)
Medal record
Men's weightlifting
Representing  Australia
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 New Delhi +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2006 Melbourne +105kg
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Glasgow +105kg
Commonwealth Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Apia +105kg
Gold medal – first place 2016 Penang +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2015 Pune +105kg
Oceania Championships
Gold medal – first place 2008 Auckland +105kg
Gold medal – first place 2012 Apia +105kg
Gold medal – first place 2013 Brisbane +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2009 Darwin +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2010 Suva +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2011 Darwin +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2016 Suva +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2017 Gold Coast +105kg
Arafura Games
Silver medal – second place 2009 Darwin +105kg
Silver medal – second place 2011 Darwin +105kg

He competed for Australia again at the 2012 Summer Olympics, finishing 16th with a total of 381 kg (216 in the clean and jerk, and 165 in the snatch).[3]

Kelly won a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the 105 kg+ division and Gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and holds the Commonwealth Games record for the Clean and Jerk.[1] He has been undefeated at the Australian Championships since 2006 and is also the reigning Oceania champion.[4] At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, he finished third, 12 kg behind the winner.[5]

He started weightlifting as a 14-year-old at St Laurence's College in Brisbane where he also excelled at Rugby Union, playing in the First XV alongside Australian national rugby league team halfback Cooper Cronk, and Shot Put, setting the college record.[6] He trains at Cougars Weightlifting Club in Brisbane under coach Miles Wydall.[1]

Personal bests

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Lift Weight Date
Snatch 176.0 kg 11 October 2010
Clean & Jerk 222.0 kg 7 June 2008
Total 397.0 kg 11 October 2010
Lift Weight
Front Squat 270.0 kg
Back Squat 315.0 kg

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Official Site of the 2008 Australian Olympic Team: Athletes: The Team: Damon Kelly". Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008. Olympic Profile - Damon Kelly, Weightlifting
  2. ^ http://www.olympics.com.au/Athletes/TheTeam/tabid/343/Default.aspx?TeamID=28&SportID=27&DisciplineID=-1#teamTableContainer Archived 20 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine List of Australian Weightlifters at the 2008 Olympics
  3. ^ "Damon Kelly Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Damon Kelly profile at". International Weightlifting Federation. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Glasgow 2014 - Men's +105kg Group A". g2014results.thecgf.com. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  6. ^ "Glasgow 2014 - Damon Kelly Profile". g2014results.thecgf.com. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
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Records
Preceded by Men's 105kg+ Clean and Jerk Commonwealth Games Record Holder
23 March 2006 – 31 July 2014
Succeeded by