We are very excited to have @mahassenhala as a guest lifter at the #TBSC1!
In addition to holding multiple Florida State Records, Hala is a multiple National Champion and National medalist, multiple Florida State Champion (-63KG and overall), and has represented Lebanon in International Competition including the 2014, 2015, and 2017 IWF World Championships and the 2016 Asian Championships!
Make sure to catch her at the #TBSC1! She will be lifting in the -63KG division on Saturday, April 14!
ABOUT HALA:
(from http://mahassenhala.com/team/)
Hala is a full-time athlete training out of Port Orange, Florida and Beirut, Lebanon. She began her weightlifting career at the request of her drafting teacher and future highschool weightlifting coach Thomas Bennett. Under his coaching, she won the FHSAA Florida State championship and later multiple awards and championships as a Junior in Olympic Weightlifting.
Today, Hala is coached by her husband Ryan, his cousin Charles Paiva, Hassenen Moukalled, and Souheil Kaissi. She is working towards the goal of becoming the first female weightlifter to represent Lebanon at the Olympic Games in 2020. Making history for the women of Lebanon, competing at the highest levels of her sport, and representing her and her father’s heritage is her dream. Hala has already broken ground by being the first woman to represent Lebanon internationally in the sport of Olympic Weightlfiting in 2014 at the IWF World Championships, and the first woman to earn IWF Olympic Qualification Points for Lebanon at the 2015 IWF World Championships held in Houston, USA.
Competitions:
2017 63kg Team Lebanon Member IWF World Championship held in Anaheim, USA, 10th place finish
2016 63kg Team Lebanon Member Asian Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
2015 63kg Team Lebanon Member IWF World Championships held in Houston, USA
2014 63kg Team Lebanon Member IWF World Championships held in Almaty, Kazakhstan
2014 63kg USA Senior National Clean and Jerk Silver Medalist
2013 58kg USA University Nationals Champion
2012 63kg USA Senior National Clean and Jerk Bronze Medalist
2011 63kg USA University Nationals Silver Medalist
2010 63kg American Open Bronze Medalist
2008 63kg USA Junior National Champion
2007 58kg USA Senior National Bronze Medalist
2007 63kg USA Junior National Bronze Medalist
2006 63kg Team USA Member, Pan American Sub 17 Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador Clean and Jerk Bronze Medalist
2006 58kg USA Schoolage National Clean and Jerk 3rd Place
2006 58kg USA Junior National Bronze Medalist
2006 129lb FHSAA State Champion
Records:
Southeast Class 63kg Senior Clean and Jerk, Snatch, and Total Record Holder 2015-Current
USAW Florida State 63kg Senior Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2014
USAW Florida State 69kg Senior Clean and Jerk, and Total Record Holder 2015-Current
FHSAA 129lb 5-Star Conference Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2006-2014
Spruce Creek High School 129lb Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2006-2014
Spruce Creek High School 139lb Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2006-Current
Spruce Creek High School 139lb Total Record Holder 2006-2012
Hala is a full-time athlete training out of Port Orange, Florida and Beirut, Lebanon. She began her weightlifting career at the request of her drafting teacher and future highschool weightlifting coach Thomas Bennett. Under his coaching, she won the FHSAA Florida State championship and later multiple awards and championships as a Junior in Olympic Weightlifting.
Today, Hala is coached by her husband Ryan, his cousin Charles Paiva, Hassenen Moukalled, and Souheil Kaissi. She is working towards the goal of becoming the first female weightlifter to represent Lebanon at the Olympic Games in 2020. Making history for the women of Lebanon, competing at the highest levels of her sport, and representing her and her father’s heritage is her dream. Hala has already broken ground by being the first woman to represent Lebanon internationally in the sport of Olympic Weightlfiting in 2014 at the IWF World Championships, and the first woman to earn IWF Olympic Qualification Points for Lebanon at the 2015 IWF World Championships held in Houston, USA.
Competitions:
2017 63kg Team Lebanon Member IWF World Championship held in Anaheim, USA, 10th place finish
2016 63kg Team Lebanon Member Asian Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
2015 63kg Team Lebanon Member IWF World Championships held in Houston, USA
2014 63kg Team Lebanon Member IWF World Championships held in Almaty, Kazakhstan
2014 63kg USA Senior National Clean and Jerk Silver Medalist
2013 58kg USA University Nationals Champion
2012 63kg USA Senior National Clean and Jerk Bronze Medalist
2011 63kg USA University Nationals Silver Medalist
2010 63kg American Open Bronze Medalist
2008 63kg USA Junior National Champion
2007 58kg USA Senior National Bronze Medalist
2007 63kg USA Junior National Bronze Medalist
2006 63kg Team USA Member, Pan American Sub 17 Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador Clean and Jerk Bronze Medalist
2006 58kg USA Schoolage National Clean and Jerk 3rd Place
2006 58kg USA Junior National Bronze Medalist
2006 129lb FHSAA State Champion
Records:
Southeast Class 63kg Senior Clean and Jerk, Snatch, and Total Record Holder 2015-Current
USAW Florida State 63kg Senior Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2014
USAW Florida State 69kg Senior Clean and Jerk, and Total Record Holder 2015-Current
FHSAA 129lb 5-Star Conference Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2006-2014
Spruce Creek High School 129lb Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2006-2014
Spruce Creek High School 139lb Clean and Jerk Record Holder 2006-Current
Spruce Creek High School 139lb Total Record Holder 2006-2012