Team Hinesville weightlifter Dominique Brunson is headed to the 2010 American Open Weightlifting Championships Dec. 10-12, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Brunson has already stacked up a bunch of medals in his short career.

He earned a gold medal and a first-place finish in his division at July’s Junior Olympics in Virginia. In February, he and his older brother Mack Brunson earned first and second, respectively, at the 2010 USA Weightlifting National Junior Championships in Rochester, Minn.

He earned his first medal at the 2009 AAU Junior Olympics, getting a silver medal.

His weightlifting coach, Jenna Bussard, said Brunson will compete in the 62 kilo weight class. She said it was a unique experience and one that will open many doors to the up-and-coming weightlifter.

"We are sending him so he can a good lifting meet in and he might place … he is competing against kids a lot older than him … but he actually has an advantage because he has been doing really good in training and the number that we posted on the entry form is a lot less than what he is actually lifting right now," she said.

Bussard said if Brunson can avoid getting the last-minute jitters he will do well. She said it will prepare Brunson for international meets.

"They take the 2010
American open and the 2011 Junior National totals and whichever total is higher could qualify him to go to Junior World, Junior Pan-Am, Canada, Puerto Rico," Bussard said. "There is just a whole bunch of competitions that they offer for junior lifters and school age and he still qualifies for school age so the opportunity is there to go all over the world now."

Bussard said. The entire Hinesville Team will compete in Savannah at the Local Weightlifting Committee meet on Dec. 18.

"It’s kind of like an end of the year everyone get together type meet," she said. "It will prepare us for Junior National next year which will be either in February or March, and that will be in Houston, Texas.

"Dominique has already qualified for that," Bussard said. "David Purser has qualified for that and Jaleel Menifee is on the bubble. He can qualify for it in the 69 kilo but he is at 77 kilos right now. We also have a couple of new guys that might qualify for it we’ll see what happens. We have the school age in June and I’ll probably take 5-6 guys for that. It’s in Atlanta."

The coach said they hope to host a meet in Hinesville next year.