Rothwell golden

Recent Newport Harbor High graduate Jim Rothwell, who played

football, basketball and volleyball for the Sailors, earned the gold

medal in weightlifting in the 170-pound weight class of the juniors

division at the 14th California State Games.

The 5-foot-10, 163-pound Rothwell, who was an All-Sea View League

and All-Newport-Mesa defensive end in football, lifted personal bests

in the snatch and clean and jerk to top three rivals Saturday at the

Town & Country Hotel.

He hoisted 187 pounds in the snatch and 231 pounds in the clean

and jerk, surpassing personal bests in both lifts by 11 pounds. He

successfully completed three lifts in each event and his combined

total was 2 1/2 pounds better than the runner-up.

“I thought I had tied, which meant I’d finished second, since I

weighed more than the other guy,” said Rothwell, who plans to

continue to concentrate on lifting when he attends Purdue University

in the fall. “When they announced my name as the winner, I was

surprised. It was pretty awesome.”