This past Saturday, Kingsport Fitness was abuzz with energy as it played host to the 2026 USA Powerlifting Tennessee Open State Championship, a prestigious event in the world of weightlifting. The competition marked a significant departure from past formats, adopting an open competition style for the first time.

Christopher Nicolai, the meet director for this year’s championship, explained the rationale behind this new approach. “This format allows everyone to compete within their respective weight classes,” Nicolai noted. “Local meets often get bogged down with numerous weight classes, age divisions, and equipment categories. My goal today was to streamline the event by having all participants enter the open division, fostering direct competition across the board.”

Beyond the immediate thrill of the competition, the stakes were high, as this event served as a qualifier for the upcoming Raw Nationals scheduled for June. While some participants set their sights on national qualification, others were driven by personal milestones or a sheer love of the sport.