IN PHOTOS: Strength and skill see powerlifters qualify for nationals
A weight was lifted off nine powerlifters' shoulders as they qualified for the Rhino Powerlifting Club (RPC) Nationals 2021 Championship last weekend in Mbombela.
The Rise and Lift Redemption Power-lifting Competition, which served as a qualifier for nationals to be held in Pretoria on September 24 and 25, was hosted at Fit24 at the Valley Hyper Shopping Centre on Saturday.
A total of 16 athletes competed. The competition consisted of three different lifts for each athlete, each lift having three attempts.
Squats were first up followed by bench presses, and the day ended off with dead lifts. Athletes of both Gauteng and Mpumalanga gave their all, but it was an outsider from Colorado, USA, Eric Galarza, who stole the show.
He won the day with a total weight of 705 kilograms.
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The total weight is calculated by adding the best of each round together. Galarza managed to squat 260 kilograms, bench 165 kilograms and dead lift 280 kilograms.
The owner of Fit24 Nelspruit, Rikus Broodryk, said they were really trying to promote powerlifting and bodybuilding in Mbombela. This was the second powerlifting competition they have hosted.
The technical officer for RPC and the head referee for the competition, Martin Smit, said the day went well. “Mbombela is still relatively new when it comes to competitive powerlifting, so the majority of lifters are not all too familiar with the rules and everything that comes with a competition.
“But it was already a whole lot better than the first competition. The lifters were better prepared. I’m very satisfied with the standard of lifting on Saturday.”
These lifters qualified for nationals
• Fridaus Cassim
• Fredrik Vosloo
• Banele Ndabezitha
• Anè Janse van Rensburg
• Micaiel Khan
• Riyaad Moolla
• LeDauntè Ponisammy
• Jacques van Greunen
• Eric Galarza.
