North’s West strongest lifters bagged a glorious medal haul at the South African Benchpress Championships held in Sandton, Johannesburg from 21-22 November.

North West competed against challengers from Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Western Province with Ivan Vers, Obert Booysen, Mpho Hlanyane and Suretha Plaatjie performing brilliantly in the green and red provincial colours.

All these champions won gold in a number of their categories with Vers showing his experience in the senior Raw Classic category while the young Hlangane showed his steel in the sub-junior Raw Classic category. In this category, no support is given through an equipped vest.

Plaatjie was very impressive in the ladies category and took gold in the senior Raw Classic category.

Obert Booysen took home silver in the senior Raw Classic category and won Gold in the senior equipped bench-press category.

Another local, Franco Helder, also won the best lifter in the sub-junior category.

“I am very proud of our guys. It was a great moment to see them represent our province so well,” said coach of the team, Ephraim Khandanise.

These gold medal winners now automatically qualify for the World Bench Press Championships that will be held in Potchefstroom in May next year.