BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge teen broke three American weightlifting records at a national competition over the weekend. 

Baron Baker, 17, started weightlifting only 2½ years before the Arnold Classic/American Open Series 1 between March 5 and 8 in Columbus, Ohio.

During the event, he set a new American record for the snatch, recording his own personal best of 277 lbs, as well as the clean and jerk, lifting 359 lbs. He also set a new total American record during the competition, lifting 636 lbs. 

The trip to the event was plagued by flight delays, with Baker spending hours on the tarmac and having to stay overnight in the airport with no sleep for less than 24 hours before the competition.

"The road to success is rarely easy. Baron started weightlifting just 2.5 years ago, inspired by his father, an international weightlifter. Late last year, Baron lost his dad," Bujanda Strong Weightlifting Club in Baton Rouge said on social media. "Some days, the platform is about strength. Other days it’s about heart, legacy, and the community who supports you."

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