Sport
13 April, 2025
Local powerlifters set for Aus champs
Horsham powerlifters Paul Sanders and Selina Smith graced the stage at Powerlifting Australia's international Asia Pacific Open in Melbourne, bringing home gold and silver.
The two-day competition saw 74 lifters from around the globe make their mark, including athletes from India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
Powerlifting consists of three lifts: squat, bench press and deadlift.
Each competitor has three attempts at their nominated weight and in front of three judges who make sure the technique is correct.
The weights of the three lifts are then added together to give a grand total.
For Traction Ag employee Smith, this was her first powerlifting competition after she took up the sport only 12 months ago.
Smith finished the competition with two gold medals – first in her weight class and first in masters 40-to-44-year-old – and also placed third in best female lifter.
She completed a 158kg squat, an 84kg bench press and a 170kg deadlift, resulting in a total weight of 412kg.
"I was a bodybuilder previously and watched Ben compete and thought I wanted to do that," she said.
Smith and Sanders are both trained by coach Ben Hogan, manager at Anytime Fitness Horsham, who has been a powerlifter for six years and is now passing on his knowledge to those who want to do the same.
Smith's training buddy Sanders is a retired locomotive worker.
This was this third year competing.
"It's easier for me to get my training in," he said.
"I block out 1pm to 3pm each day to come to the gym."
A training block for powerlifting is 12 weeks, two hours a day, five days a week.
Sanders placed second in his age group and collected the silver medal to take home.
His total weight was 555kg: a 190 squat, a 140 bench press and a 225 deadlift.
Sanders and Smith both they encouraged anyone who was interested to give powerlifting a go.
"It's a lifestyle thing," Sanders said.
"You have to eat right, drink right, sleep right.
"Once you get into it, you set a goal and then you'll see the gym camaraderie."
Since starting, Smith said the sport was "great".
"I really love it," she said.
Now the pair are focused on competing at the Australian championships in Melbourne on June 22.
