Gallagher lifts way to top honor

This article appeared in the Tampa Tribune on May 24, 2003. Gallagher was named the boys weightlifter of the year by the Tribune.

By DAVID NORRIE

NEW PORT RICHEY - For the past two years, Gulf High weightlifter Patrick Gallagher has been untouchable in Pasco County. Winning the 119-pound division at the Sunshine Athletic Conference meet as a junior last season, he repeated as 2003 champion, going undefeated in the county.

After placing sixth at last year's state competition, Gallagher entered his senior year with one goal in mind - be the best 119-pound lifter in Florida.

He came up just short, placing second, but still earned The Tampa Tribune Pasco County Boys Weightlifter of the Year award.

He can tell you, the road to a state title isn't an easy one.

``This sport differs from others,'' Gallagher said. ``It's a lot harder. You can't start when you're 5 years old like other sports. To become a champion in weightlifting is difficult because you don't have that much strength when you are a freshman.

``For me it has been especially tough. I'm a senior but I just turned 17 in December, so the natural strength and testosterone that comes with maturity may be lagging behind one of my competitors.''

Gallagher spent his freshman year on the weightlifting team but never made a strong enough preliminary lift to qualify for a meet. He pressed on.

When he couldn't get a ride to the gym, he rode his bicycle each day. When he had nobody to train with, he made friends with older lifters at a local gym, learning from their experience. And when doctors recommended he have surgery on both shoulders this year, he worked through the pain, opting to wait until the end of the season to make a decision.

Perhaps more than anything, Gallagher has proved it is the journey more than the final destination that drives an athlete. Nobody can question his dedication to the sport.

At 5-foot-8, he had to keep his weight less than 119 pounds on a steady diet of protein and fruit. He tapered his physique to a point where he was slightly more than 4 percent body fat at the state meet. This was nothing new for him; he was used to keeping weight for wrestling, a sport he withdrew from midway through his senior year, deciding to devote his energy to lifting because he figured to have a better chance at winning a state title.

He compared his competition with Pierson Taylor High's Aaron Chavez, his main competitor, to a chess match, with the two separated by only a few pounds, both in body weight and strength.

Gallagher's 410-pound total (225, bench and 185 clean-and-jerk) at the state meet came up five pounds short of Chavez. But his second-place finish was the highest by any Pasco lifter. His 225-pound bench was the best in his weight class.

Proud of his accomplishments and of how far he has come, he said he will wait to decide whether to pursue powerlifting beyond high school.

``I gave it my best effort,'' Gallagher said. ``Now I'll take some time to decide what is next.''