ATHENS — It was a record setting day for quite a few members of the Georgia Irondawgs Powerlifting team at the American Powerlifting Committee State Bench Press and Powerlifting Championships in Athens on Saturday. While on the way to outstanding individual performances, the Irondawgs also picked up the team championship trophy.
Team captain Mike Kidd of Oakwood was very happy with the results,
"I’m proud of all of them," said team captain Mike Kidd of Oakwood, who personally trains many of the members said. "We’re looking forward to the National Championships in June in Peoria."
Among those who set records on the day was East Hall senior Tyler Brown, whose squat, bench press, and deadlift all established national records, as did his total in the 18-19 year-old super-heavyweight class. Brown, who verbally committed to play football at Western Carolina last week, squatted 606.265 pounds, benched and deadlifted 529.104 pounds, and totaled 1,664.473 pounds.
"(I’m a) little disappointed in my squats," said Brown, who missed a couple of attempts at that lift, "but it was a good day."
His trainer Rob Paden returned to competition today and finished second in the sub-master 275.575-pound class by totaling 1,488.105 pounds.
The Brenau Golden Tigers were well represented at the meet. Strength coach and assistant softball coach Gary Hatfield not only had a record setting day, but also picked up the overall Best Lifter Award in the equipped division. He totaled a national record 1,548.7315 pounds in winning the Master’s Men’s 50-54 year-old 198.414-pound class. He also set national records in the squat 600.7595 pounds, and in the bench 446.4315 pounds. He also won that bench press class. He was joined by fellow assistant softball coach Beth Kimsey who set American records in the squat and deadlift 303.1325 pounds and totaled 749.564 pounds in winning the women’s junior 123.4576-pound equipped classification.
"I’m excited," said Kimsey. "This is my first time out (in a full-power meet). It was a good day."
She also won the bench in her class with 143.299 pounds.
"I’m really proud of Beth," Hatfield said. "She’s one of our former players on the softball team there. She came up through our weight program, strength training, and decided she wanted to do what I did, so she jumped in. She did a great job."
Also in the full-power class, North Hall grad Jacob Townsend totaled 1,218.415 pounds in taking the 18-19 year-old 90-kilogram class. He was granted a fourth lift and set a national record in the deadlift with 523.5925 pounds.
Townsend, who was not an athlete at North Hall, credits Kidd with getting him involved in powerlifting.
In the bench-only division, Oakwood’s R. Garry Glenn broke his own national record in the Master’s Men’s 50-54 year old 181.8795-pound non-equipped weight class with a press of 325.1785 pounds.
"This is my last meet in this age class," Glenn said. "I wanted to break the record and give the folks coming along who bench (non-equipped) something to shoot at."
Gainesville’s Tim Moon set a personal best, winning both the Open and Master’s Men’s 45-49 year-old 242.506-pound equipped bench class with a press of 501.5465 pounds. Veteran lifter George Bradley of Gainesville won another state title with his bench of 214.9485 pounds in the Master’s Men’s 148.8105-pound equipped category. In his first meet ever, Gainesville’s Jeremy Kay won the Men’s Open Bench 165.345-pound non-equipped class with his press of 286.598 pounds.
Jefferson’s Brian Nichols took the Master’s Men’s 40-44 year-old 82.5 kilogram equipped bench class with his press of 374.782 pounds. Jefferson’s Michael Rubio won the Men’s Open equipped class at 220.46 pounds with his bench of 551.15 pounds.
For more meet results, log on to www.Irondawg.com and follow the links to the APC.