GEORGE NEWS - The annual SA Powerlifting Interprovincials took place at the weekend in Somerset West with Eastern Province doing exceptionally well.

Twelve records were broken of which 2 were new South African records. All the lifters that lifted at the competition achieved personal records.

Unisa art student Michelle Botha (56kg) received a gold medal in the bench press with 42,5kg.
Sanet Momberg (67,5kg) stunned the crowd with a smashing bench press of 130kg which is a new EP and SA record. She will now represent South Africa at the upcoming World Powerlifting Championships in Potchefstroom.

Marne Botha (82,5kg) from Outeniqua High School received a bronze medal in his first powerlifting competition with a total of 355kg. This included a squat of 110kg, bench press of 85kg and a deadlift of 160kg.
Ex-Protea boxer Stephen Stander (90kg) also won gold with a total of 535kg. It included a squat of 190kg, a bench of 125kg and a deadlift of 220kg.

NMMU accounting student Hanno Lourens (110kg) got gold in the bench press and powerlifting division. He also collected 3 EP records in the squat of 220kg, bench of 150kg and a total of 580kg.
The SA vice-president, André Ludik (125kg), had one of the best days of his life with 3 EP records and a new SA record in the bench press master 2 division that stood for 11 years. He benched a 187,5kg which is absolutely amazing for someone of older than 50 years. He also squatted 180kg and deadlifted 222,5kg for a new EP record. His total was 590kg.
In the 100kg class the George senior sportsman of 2009, Heinrich Janse van Rensburg, took silver in the powerlifting and gold in the bench press division. With a total of 560kg he squatted 180kg, pulled a deadlift of 200kg and bench pressed an amazing 180kg.

Jason Meyer competed in the 75kg class and received gold in the bench press with a lift of 157,5kg. He also claimed 2 new EP records and won the Best Lifter Award in the bench press, beating Janse van Rensburg by a mere 0,01 Wilks points.
The athletes are now training for the provincial championships in Port Elizabeth on 16 October.

Anybody interested in the sport of power-lifting, may e-mail Heinrich Janse van Rensburg at ipfmediaofficer@gmail.com.


Hanno Lourens squatting 220kg.


Heinrich Janse van Rensburg with a 180kg bench press.


The EP powerlifting team with their medals.