Franklin women shine at powerlifting nationals

<p>Few small cities can claim to make as big a mark in the world of competitive powerlifting as Franklin, and the local contingent again failed to disappoint at last weekend’s USA Raw nationals in Spokane, Washington.</p><p>Three Franklin women — Jennica Baldridge, Kloie Doublin and Shelby Miles — won their respective age and weight classes, with both Doublin and Miles also qualifying for next year’s world championships in Sweden.</p><p>Doublin fell just short of becoming the youngest national champion ever in the women’s open division at 72 kilograms, finishing second to Kristen Dunsmore on a tiebreaker. She still won the junior (ages 19-23) crown with ease, squatting 397 pounds, benching 248 and deadlifting 446.</p><p>Doublin, a 2017 world champion in 2017 who finished third last year despite a back injury, was excited to secure a return trip.</p><p>“I’m really happy and proud that I got to win the junior division and got a chance to get to Sweden and get my (world) title back,” she said.</p><p>Miles was first among juniors and sixth in the open division at 84+ kilograms. She totaled 1,119 pounds (402.3 squat, 259 bench, 457.4 deadlift) on the day.</p><p>The Franklin grad becomes the first-ever Indiana University representative to qualify for worlds.</p><p>Baldridge won the 63-kilogram weight class in the Teen III (18-19) division, totaling 854 pounds (292 squat, 182 bench, 380 deadlift).</p><p>Also representing Franklin over the weekend were Macy Doublin, who finished second in the Teen I (14-15) 72-kilogram weight class, and Mikayla Zoellner, who was third in the Teen II (16-17) division at 84 kilograms.</p><p>The 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships will be held next June 3-15 in Helsingborg, Sweden.</p>