Lifter helps carry U.S.

Swimming has Michael Phelps. Gymnastics has Paul Hamm. Softball has Jennie Finch.

Most Olympic sports are bolstered by a bigname American athlete, someone with national fame, worldwide appeal and a track record of success.

For men's weightlifting, there's Casey Burgener.

"I hope people don't think my ugly mug is going to be the face of USA Weightlifting," Burgener said.

The Colorado Springs resident quietly has become one of weightlifting's biggest stars, holding high hopes for the Beijing Games in August following the retirement of two-time Olympian Shane Hamman.

A 6-foot-1, 272-pound giant with bulging arms, massive legs and a round tummy, Burgener, 25, doesn't boast the eye-popping credentials of Phelps, the golden-boy persona of Hamm or the irresistible charm of Finch.

He lacks everything that screams Hollywood. He's a mild-tempered, easygoing guy who enjoys reading books, playing the guitar, listening to Johnny Cash and watching movies, like "Dumb and Dumber."

It's not by design to gain a competitive edge. That's his personality.

"I'm more laidback than people think," said Burgener, a University of Colorado at Colorado Springs student majoring in physics with a minor in math. "A lot of times when people meet me, they think I'm going to tear them to pieces right away. It helps the image of being strong."

A combination of strength and sound technique makes Burgener, ranked 15th in the world among super-heavyweights, the runaway men's favorite heading into the U.S. Olympic weightlifting trials, which begin Friday in Atlanta.

Challengers for the two Olympic spots the U.S. men earned in March at the Pan American Championships are Matt Bruce, Kendrick Farris, Norik Vardanian and Chad Vaughn. Other contenders include Olympic Training Center residents Zach Krych, Zach Schluender and Donald Shankle.

The U.S. women qualified four weightlifters for Beijing with a combined eighth-place finish at the past two world championships. OTC resident Cheryl Haworth, a 2000 Olympic bronze medalist, is the trials favorite. She should be pressed by Melanie Roach and Colorado Springs residents Jackie Berube, Doreen Fullhart, Carissa Gump, Cara Heads, Emmy Vargas and Natalie Woolfolk.

"It comes down to all or nothing," said Burgener, who is engaged to Woolfolk. "Every single lift I do is going to matter. It's definitely going to add some pressure. In the past, I've competed well under pressure, so hopefully that will be to my advantage."

Last year, Burgener had a breakthrough at the world championships, placing 11th with an 881.8-pound total - 401.2 in the snatch and 480.6 in the clean and jerk - for the top U.S. finish. He also won a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games.

Most of his triumphs resulted from a refined pull, the extension on the top of his lift.

"I'm really confident because my training has been going really well," Burgener said. "My confidence fluctuates with my strength levels, with my technique. ... I don't feel I'm at my peak yet."

Burgener wants Colorado Springs-based USA Weightlifting to have an icon.

"Any sort of publicity would be good," he said. "A superstar? That would help us out a lot. Anything we could get, if it was a superstar or if it was a bunch of people, that would be awesome."

As long as it's not him.

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CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0256 or briangomez@gazette.com