Kitimat powerlifters continue to dominate provincial competitions, with Team Macht returning from a Kelowna competition on August 11 with two golds, a silver and a bronze medal.
Team Macht Athletics coach Clint Weber and powerlifters Scott Campbell, and Jayden and Jesse Lucier, travelled to Kelowna to compete in the B.C. Powerlifting Association’s Hard Knocks Competition which fielded 51 powerlifters from across the province.
This was the inaugural Hard Knocks competition which falls under the umbrella of the International Powerlifting Federation, a federation which Clint says is very serious about its athletes being drug-free.
Clint, who has been coaching for three years, said this is the first time he has taken a team to a competition.
“These are probably the strongest powerlifters I have ever coached,” said Clint, who started coaching so that he could help powerlifters to move more efficiently.
“I wish I could go back and correct some of my mistakes,” added Clint.
The results of the training speak for themselves – Scott and Jayden both won gold medals in their division, while Clint came back with a silver, with Jesse winning third in his division.
Competing in the Men’s 93kg Open division, Scott pushed 447lbs (202.5kg) in the squat, 330lbs (150kg) in the bench and 525lbs (237.5kg) in the deadlift.
Jayden, competing in the 105kg Junior division pushed 540lbs (245kg) in the squat, 407lbs (185kg) in the bench and 500lbs (227kg) in the deadlift.
The result was a personal victory for Jayden, who was forced to stop powerlifting in 2017 following an accident at work on May 12 when a sheet of glass fell on his hand, cutting it open and severing tendons.
His arm was in a cast for six months, during which time he was only able to do air squats. When the cast came off on September 15 last year, he had lost a lot of muscle and had gained a lot of weight.
He started light training in December and lost 30 pounds, with training starting in earnest in April when he met Clint.
Jesse, competing in the 74kg Junior division, pushed 385lbs (175kg) in the squat, 275lbs (125kg) in the bench and 407lbs (185kgs) in the deadlift.
This was only Jesse’s second competition, last having competed alongside Jayden on May 8, 2017, four days before Jayden’s accident.
Clint, competing in the 83kg Men’s Open division, came second in his weight class, having pushed 419lbs (190kg) in the squat, 253lbs (115kg) in the bench and 441lbs (200kg) in the deadlift.
The team will be training hard throughout the year, everyone focused on competing in the provincial competition in June next year.
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