{"id":3899,"date":"2026-06-12T22:34:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T22:34:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3899"},"modified":"2026-06-12T22:34:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T22:34:01","slug":"delands-fhsaa-record-setter-peyton-mckenzie-is-boys-weightlifter-of-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=3899","title":{"rendered":"DeLand\u2019s FHSAA record-setter, Peyton McKenzie, is boys weightlifter of year"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Reaching the pinnacle of earning two state titles at the FHSAA boys weightlifting state championship meet might have been tougher for Peyton McKenzie than for any other qualifier.<\/p>\n

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The DeLand junior suffered a back injury about a month and a half before the postseason, so the road to his already lofty goals looked like it was blocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an overuse injury,\u201d McKenzie said. \u201cI was still kind of hurt at districts, but I didn\u2019t have to go very high to win (with big lifts). It healed up really well. For regionals I felt almost 100%, and I was 100% for the state meet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The end result of the hard work on his recovery was not only winning both the Class 3A Olympic and Traditional style state titles in the 238-pound weight class, but he fulfilled his goal of breaking records in the process of winning a pair of titles. For that achievement he is the 2026 Orlando Sentinel Boys Weightlifter of the Year.<\/p>\n

McKenzie was also named the Florida Dairy Farmers\u2019 Class 3A lifter of the year.<\/p>\n

In the Olympic style, he broke the state record with 315 pounds lifted in the snatch, and then posted a 370-pound clean and jerk to set another record with his 685 total. He added a 405 bench press to win the Traditional style, which combines the bench with the clean and jerk.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeyton really locked in (on his recovery), did his physical therapy sessions and followed the instructions of the doctors,\u201d DeLand coach Damian Dunn said. \u201cHis healing process went better than expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

McKenzie, who is home-schooled, transferred from Orange City University to Lake Mary in the fall of 2025 to play football before a knee injury last summer hindered that plan. So, another path led him to lift for DeLand and compete nationally.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen he decided to stop playing football and focus strictly on weightlifting, he had goals,\u201d Dunn said. \u201cHe wanted to set the state record, become a national champ and he also wants to make the national team. He\u2019s so locked in on his craft, and understands what he needs to do to reach those goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

McKenzie now has his sights set on winning at USA Weightlifting age group (16-17) national meets in June and December in the 94-kilogram weight class. His age group will compete on June 22 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.<\/p>\n

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DeLand star Peyton McKenzie joins Boone, Leesburg, TFA weightlifting champs<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n