The United States’ Alyssa Ritchey was among the four overall winners on the opening day of the Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Guatemala City ©USA Weightlifting/Twitter

The United States’ Alyssa Ritchey was among the four overall winners on the opening day of the Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Guatemala City.

Ritchey had a perfect six for six performance in the women’s 49 kilograms category, sweeping all three gold medals and setting four records at Coliseo Deportivo.

Her 107kg clean and jerk set a national record as did her total of 190kg.

She broke two Pan American records previously held by the Dominican Republic’s Beatriz Piron, also in the clean and jerk and total.

"I thought 190kg would maybe happen at the end of 2019," Ritchey said.

"I still can’t believe I did it.

"I’m in awe."

The Coliseo Deportivo is playing host to the Pan American Weightlifting Championships ©USA Weightlifting/Twitter
The Coliseo Deportivo is playing host to the Pan American Weightlifting Championships ©USA Weightlifting/Twitter

Ritchey’s 83kg snatch was 1kg more than the lift she missed on her last attempt at the American Open Finals in Milwaukee in December.

After the competition, Ritchey told USA Weightlifting she had been struggling with snatches in training leading up to the Pan American Championships.

"I was really in my head," she said.

"I changed my mindset and decided to have a blast and be who I am in training.

"I’m going to let these girls see who I am.

"I’m a good athlete, I came here to dominate and that’s what I did."