It won鈥檛 exactly be springtime in Paris when Katelynn Williams and Christine Girard head to the city of lights in November, but they may not have much time for sightseeing, anyhow.

That鈥檚 because the pair of Semi Weightlifting Club members will be focused on a more important task 鈥� winning a medal at the world weightlifting championships.

The duo qualified for the world championships at the national championships held in Scarborough, Ont.

Williams 鈥� whom Semi coach Dieter Stamm called 鈥渁 real darkhorse鈥� heading into the competition 鈥� captured gold in the women鈥檚 75-kg class, lifting a combined 209 kg in clean-and-jerk and snatch.

Her total score was seven kilograms better than Yukon鈥檚 Jeanne Lassen, a Canadian Olympian who competed at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. In third place was another lifter with plenty of international experience, Ontario鈥檚 Kara Doherty, who now live and trains in the United States.

鈥淜atelynn came in as one of the younger, lesser (experienced) lifters 鈥� she was up against some very good competition,鈥� Stamm said. 鈥淏ut she was incredible 鈥� she did just a super, bang-up job. Amazing.鈥�

The 24-year-old, who graduated from Brookswood in 2005, has been lifting since 2002.

Joining Williams on the podium was Girard, a former Olympian herself. Competing in the women鈥檚 63-kg division, she outlifted the competition by a considerable margin 鈥� her total score of 222 kg was 52 kg better than second-place lifter Kristel Ngarlem.

鈥淧retty impressive to win by that much,鈥� Stamm said. 鈥淪he won quite handily.鈥�

Williams and Girard will now spend the summer preparing for world championships, slated for Paris in November. And Stamm is confident both have a chance to make the podium there, too.

Girard is already one of the world鈥檚 elite female lifters 鈥� she finished fourth at the Beijing Olympics and won a gold medal at last year鈥檚 Commonwealth Games 鈥� but Stamm said Williams, too, is making big strides.

鈥淪he has an excellent chance at worlds. She did well last weekend 鈥� very well 鈥� but I don鈥檛 think that was her at her best yet,鈥� the longtime weightlifting coach said.

鈥淚 think she can get even better. She still has more to give.鈥�