Monthly Archives

3 Articles
News

15-year-old Byrne creates world powerlifting history

Posted by Marie Curtis on
15-year-old Byrne creates world powerlifting history

WOODBROOK GLEN native Megan Byrne made history last month when she became the youngest-ever female athlete to win a world title in powerlifting at the age of just 15.

The transition year student came first in the T1 (14-15-year-old) category at the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Championships in Halle, Germany in late October. The full powerlift category in which Megan competes consists of three separate disciplines: squat, benchpress and deadlift.

Byrne was part of a 17-strong Irish team that travelled to the championships and what makes her story all the more remarkable, is that she only started out weightlifting a year ago.

She took up the sport as a means of keeping feet but, under the tutelage of her father and coach Reg, has flourished in her short time competing. She was crowned national full power champion in Belfast earlier this year, which earned her a spot on the Irish team that competed at world level.

Megan recently released a book entitled Healthy Eating Without Training, and she’s also a talented singer with a number of performances available online.

Reg runs the Angels Boxing Club at St Benildus College in Stillorgan, where the European Drug Free Championships will take place next April.

He’s also the vice-president of the Irish Drug-Free Powerlifting Association, which is affiliated with the World Anti-Doping Association, WADA.

Megan has already qualified for the European Championships, and the next worlds, by virtue of her performance in Germany, and will continue to defend her national title in 2020.

The hope is that drug-free powerlifting will become an Olympic event in the not-too-distant future, however at the moment there exists no kind of funding to help athletes compete.

Reg says, “It is definitely in contention to be an Olympic sport. In three or four years time, if it becomes an Olympic sport, hell yeah she’ll be in contention to represent her country.

“She eats, sleeps and drinks her powerlifting and her singing. Any young kid starting out in sport, whether it be football or rugby, they always strive to be at the top.”

News

Kāpiti club produces three world champions

Posted by Marie Curtis on
Kāpiti club produces three world champions

Weightlifting is the glory sport, the Olympic sport where all you have to do is lift one weight above your head. The heaviest one you can. Powerlifting is its forgotten cousin.

Requiring not one, but three lifts – the squat, bench press and deadlift totals are added together to find a powerlifting champion.

Despite its lesser-known status, the Kāpiti Powerlifting Club is churning out success with three members attending the World Powerlifting Championships in Calgary, Canada, earlier this month, coming away as world champions.

Attending was Alison Fitzmaurice who won gold in the masters 50-55 100+kg women’s and won silver in the open class 100+kg, Graeme Boyce who won gold in the M4 55-59 105+kg, and Riria Ropata who won gold in open division 100+kg category.

Riria also won the best overall female lifter in 109+kg category and biggest squat, bench and deadlift lift.

Attending their third international competition together all three world champions credited Kāpiti Powerlifting Club at 318 Fitness in Paraparaumu with inspiring them in the sport.

“We are blessed to train in a great environment with a community who backs you all the way,” Alison said.

“318 is more of a family than a gym and we are very grateful for that. We are also lucky to have a lot of friends and family who help us fundraise to get to our events as this sport is totally self-funded.

“I am a two-times Oceania champion but this was far more nerve-racking. I was hoping to win as if you don’t want to win there’s no point competing.

“I feel ecstatic and blessed about the win. I do it for the camaraderie and buzz but also to try and be healthy.”

“It’s a great, very supportive community,” Riria said.

“I enjoy the training, it always pushes me and I’m always setting new goals.”

Lifting 212kg in the squat, 103kg in the bench press and 220kg in the deadlift, Riria won gold for the highest score and also lifted the most in each lift, winning best squat, best bench press, and best deadlift.

“It’s still sinking in, this is my first international win.

“Powerlifting is not an Olympic sport so this is it, the world championships.

“It’s awesome that I managed to come away with the win, with the title.”

Originally going to the competition in a coach/manager role, Graeme decided to enter, winning gold in the masters 55-59 age group category.

“I returned to the sport in 2013 after a long break and was happy with the win as I have been injured most of this year.

“It was a pretty good showing all-round.”

“Our local community board has been fantastic in always helping us with community grants and I just want to thank the Paraparaumu/Raumati community board for their belief in us,” Alison said.

“We have three world champions now in our club and that is a very big thing that we are very proud of.”

News

University of Kentucky Resident, Powerlifter Uses Her Strength as a Force for Good

Posted by Marie Curtis on
University of Kentucky Resident, Powerlifter Uses Her Strength as a Force for Good

University of Kentucky radiology resident Dr. Leanna Lin uses her strength for good causes.

This Saturday, Lin has organized an event called Deadlifts Against Domestic Violence, a powerlifting-style deadlift competition hosted by The Moco Gym in Mount Sterling, Ky. All the money received with sales and registration fees will benefit GreenHouse17, an advocacy agency committed to ending intimate partner abuse in families and the community.

For the uninitiated, the deadlift is one of three powerlifting exercises. To complete a deadlift, participants must pull the “dead weight” of a loaded barbell from the floor. 

“I got the idea for this from my coach; he organized a full powerlifting meet to benefit research for childhood cancer, and it happened to be my first powerlifting meet,” Lin said. “I thought it was a great way to not only benefit a good cause but also introduce people to powerlifting as a sport.”

Lin met her coach and inspiration during her year interning in Buffalo, New York. Although she has been lifting weights since high school, during the last year of medical school, she found a deeper interest in strength training. Though she was initially more interested in bodybuilding, after competing in her coach’s charity event, she switched her focus over to powerlifting – though the skills didn’t come easily at first.

“I used to not enjoy it very much,” Lin said. “But now that I’m much better at it, I really enjoy how strong it makes me feel.”

This is the second time Lin has hosted a charity event. Two years ago, she raised $400 to benefit the Markey Cancer Foundation for breast cancer research. This year, she wanted to do something different, and when a friend suggested GreenHouse17, she decided to give another foundation the main focus. Her main goal is to bring people together to support a good cause through a fun and exciting environment, but her long-term goal is to focus more on scholarship-type fundraisers.

“I think powerlifting is a very empowering and individual sport,” Lin said. “Many people can surprise themselves with how strong they can become with specific training. I hope maybe in the future I can help elevate powerlifting as a sport that grants scholarships to talented individuals.”

Deadlifts Against Domestic Violence takes place this Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Moco Gym, 275 Evans Ave., Mt. Sterling. Late registration and weigh-in begin at 11 a.m.; lifting begins at 12:30 p.m. Registration for competitors is $15 for pre-registering, $20 on-site. All proceeds will be directly donated to GreenHouse17. For more information, visit the Deadlifts Against Domestic Violence registration page.