A powerful display

By Lachlan Ellis

A local powerlifting team has smashed it out of the park at a recent event, with all 20 of the team’s participants winning medals.

Powerlifters from Bacchus Marsh’s Pumpt Personal Training took part in the CAPO ANZAC Day Championships last month, with the mostly female team taking out 30 Victorian records, 20 Australian records, and two world records.

Even more impressive is the fact that those two world records were won by a 54-year-old and a 76-year-old.

Robin Ray is the Strength and Conditioning Coach at Pumpt, and said she’d never experienced a joy like seeing members of her team win medals.
“We take part in the competition every year, it’s held in commemoration of the ANZACs. The team was primarily women, we had two guys out of the 20, ranging from 17 years old all the way up to 76,” Ms Ray told the Moorabool News.

“Out of the 20 we took first place for absolutely everyone, I’m incredibly proud of all of them. Seeing the drive and ambition of these women to overcome their fears is incredible, they’re lifting in front of almost 150 to 200 people in a horrendous sausage suit that leaves nothing to the imagination.

“I hold 36 world records and I’ve been lifting for 20 years, but I don’t think that any feeling could outweigh the joy of seeing 20 people compete the way they do. It feels like every time they win, I win too.”

The 54-year-old world record holder, Ms Ray said, had only been training three months ago, and “out of the blue said I want to compete”.

“She broke a national record after just three months of training…I’ve never seen someone come out of their shell like that in my life. She’s incredible,” Ms Ray said.

The powerlifting team at Pumpt will next compete at the Valhalla Classic on 17 and 18 June, with Ms Ray hoping to have a bigger team of 22 powerlifters for the event.

The event is a national qualifier to represent the team at a Tasmanian event in August.