Fourteen local members of the Olympia In Depth Powerlifting Team competed this past weekend at the 2018 Saskatchewan Provincial Championship meet, winning a number of medals.
Eleven of the 14 lifters competed on Saturday. Natalie Hastings, Mikayla Lohse and Brianna Swyryda all competed in the Equipped division in the sub-junior and junior categories.
Hastings finished her day with a provincial record squat at 103 kg, a 55 kg bench press and 92.5 kg deadlift. Lohse finished her day with a 148 kg squat, 75 kg bench press and 145 kg deadlift. Swyryda completed her day with 317.5 kg total, which was a new national record total, with 125 kg squat, 75 kg bench press and 117.5 kg deadlift. She also set two new national records for squat and bench press.
Axel Lund competed as a classic lifter in the sub-junior category. He finished the day with 175 kg squat, 112.5 kg bench press, and 215 kg deadlift.
Anthony Bianchi competed in the open category as a classic lifter, and competed Sunday in the bench-only portion of the competition. He finished Saturday with 195 kg squat, 147.5 kg bench press, and 250 kg deadlift.
Saturday afternoon, Heidi Fowler and Charlene Cossar competed in the Equipped division in the Open category. Heidi completed her day with 165 kg squat, 115 kg bench and 160 kg deadlift, and Charlene completed her day with 165 kg squat, 90 kg bench press and 182.5 kg deadlift. Cossar also took home “Best Equipped Female Lifter” at the meet.
Courtney Knibbs and Franki Nault also competed Saturday afternoon in the Open category as Classic lifters. Knibbs completed her day with 120 kg squat, 65 kg bench press and 147.5 kg deadlift and Nault had a 92.5 kg squat, 45 kg bench press, and 112.5 kg deadlift. Both Fowler and Knibbs hit their required national qualifying totals.
Kyle Paterson and Rick Hazell also competed Saturday afternoon as Classic lifters in the Open categories. Paterson completed his day with 250 kg squat, 165kg bench press, and 295 kg deadlift. Hazell completed his day with 160 kg squat, 127.5 kg bench press and 197.5 kg deadlift.
Sunday began with the bench-only portion of the competition. Ryan Fowler, Sorina Lenius and Anthony Bianchi all competed in this portion. Ryan Fowler, head coach of the Olympia In Depth Powerlifting team, competed as an Equipped lifter finishing with a 272.5 kg bench and won best overall "Male Equipped Bencher". Sorina Lenius also competed as an Equipped lifter finishing with a 75 kg bench and Anthony Bianchi competed as a Classic lifter finishing with a 140 kg bench.
Marnel Spencer competed Sunday afternoon as an Equipped lifter in the Master II category. She finished her day with 105.5 kg squat, 63kg bench press, and 122.5 kg deadlift. Spencer set 14 provincial records and four national records, including a national record total of 291.0 kg total.
The team also took home the “Best Team 2018” award for the province.
Many of the lifters will be travelling to Ottawa, Ontario to represent Saskatchewan at the Canadian Powerlifting Union National Championships being held March 4-9, 2019.
