STUDENTS from Armidale, Inverell and as far afield as Yass in the Southern Highlands will be gathering at the Duval High School gymnasium on Friday 26 July for the 20th Inter-School Benchpress Tournament.
Lifting will commence at 10am sharp. Prizes will be awarded in each bodyweight division, male and female, with the Wayne Sharpe Inter-School Benchpress Perpetual Shield awarded to the most successful school of the meet..
Lifters are also pitting their strength to win medals as the best male and female lifter of the meet as well as the Team Award Trophy for the best school performance of the day.
In addition to the benchpress, school competitors will also be vying for the gold Dip Bar and Chin Up medals when they test their strength and stamina on the parallel dip bar and high-rise chin-up bar. There is a male and female section in both events.
A team of up to 12 lifters have been selected from each of the participating schools at this year’s event, making for what promises to be a powerful and energy-filled day of benchpress, dips and chin-ups action coming up for participants, spectators and supporters alike.
The event is also a sanctioned competition for the Powerlifting Australia National Schools Benchpress competition. Lifters not only have the chance to win awards in the local competition, but also nationally against students from schools all over Australia.
This year the event has an extra special celebratory flavour in store for everyone involved. Sportspower Armidale and Collins Armidale Bookshop have very generously donated terrific prizes towards the competition.
Special guest is Powerlifting Australia’s U23 Junior 105kg division benchpress record holder, Jesse McEwen, fresh from competing in the World Raw Powerlifting Classic held in Suzdal, Russia.
Jesse, from Byron Bay, will be giving an inspirational talk on powerlifting along with highlights of his sporting career. He will also be giving a demonstration of his powerlifting prowess and presenting various awards at the end of the tournament.
Founder and competition co-ordinator, Paralympian and Commonwealth Games powerlifter Wayne Sharpe, said he is looking forward to warmly welcoming Jesse on his first visit to Armidale and to enjoying competition action.
Sharpe thanked the sponsors, Sportspower Armidale and Collins Armidale Bookshop for their kind donations of wonderful prizes towards the competition.
“I am most grateful for the local support as well as the support of Powerlifting Australia towards the event this year,” he said.
Parents and members of the public are welcome to attend and witness an exciting day of sport action and to help celebrate 20 years of this event at the Duval High School gymnasium.
