Caleb Williams knew his chances of making the 2008 U.S. Olympic weightlifting team were next to nothing.

But that didn't stop the 23-year-old Duluth resident from competing in the 69-kilo weight class at the U.S. Olympic weightlifting trials being held this weekend at the Robert Ferst Center of the Arts on Georgia Tech's campus.

"This is my first time trying out for the Olympic team," said Williams, a fitness trainer at Quest Gym in Duluth. "I just wanted to see how well I could do, knowing that I had another four years to train for the 2012 Olympics."

Nor did it stop his parents, Martin and Laurie Williams, from driving 12 hours straight from their home in Beaver, Pa., to cheer for their son.

Their son was one of 30 hopefuls who were trying to make the men's Olympic weightlifting team. Only the top four finishers — the fourth being an alternate — will represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games in China this summer.

"If he makes the team we would find a way to travel to China as well," Martin Williams said. "Both of us are very proud of what he is trying to accomplish."

"We'd sell our home if we needed to," Laurie Williams added.

Other Georgia residents trying to make the men's Olympic team included Henry Brower of Bloomingdale, also in the 69-kilo class; Chandler Alford of Atlanta, in the 77-kilo class; Joshua Squyres of Savannah, at 94 kilos; and Travis Cooper of Tyrone at 85 kilos.

Georgia women trying to make the Olympic team included Kelly Polly of Atlanta at 48 kilos; Amanda Hubbard of Cumming at 58 kilos; Sarah Davis of Rincon at 58 kilos; Shannon Sheesley of East Point at 63 kilos; Cheryl Haworth of Savannah, 75 kilos; Rachel Hearn and Jenna Bussard, both of Savannah and both in the 75-plus kilo class.

With friends and family urging him on, Williams snatched 114 kilos (251 pounds), 119 kilos (264 pounds) and 123 kilos (271 pounds).

On his first attempt in the clean and jerk, Williams lifted 147 kilos (324 pounds) to his chest before raising it above his head. On his second attempt, the same held true at 155 kilos (341 pounds).

Next up was 158 kilos. He bypassed that, going for for 160 kilos (352 pounds) because it gave him a little more time to rest between attempts.

But he was spent. And, Cecil Bleiker, a spokesman for the trials, acknowledged that Williams' chances to make the U.S. Olympic team were indeed slim.

"That's because we take the top qualifiers based on their combined total in the snatch and clean-and-jerk no matter what their weight class is," Bleiker said, adding that Williams wouldn't be among the top four.