PE power lifter back with a bang
Medals galore for Barry after three-year study break
AFTER a 36-month study break, Port Elizabeth power lifter Elisabeth Barry has come back with a bang, collecting three gold, three silver and one bronze medal this year.
Competing in the Masters 1 and Senior U47 category, the 44-year-old occupational therapist at Erica Girls High School has also been nominated the best South African female Equipped Master 1 Lifter for the year.
She earned the title at this year’s South African Equipped Championships in Potchefstroom.
Early this month, Barry returned home with a silver medal she won at the World Masters Equipped Championships in Sundsvall, Sweden.
“The competition was good. I had been in a few overseas competitions where I met other power lifters from all over the world,” she said.
“It was just nice to compete because in South Africa there is not a lot of competition in my age group.
“It’s always nice to compete against the best in the world. In South Africa, I am the only Master 1 in my weight category.
“When you get nominated for a competition you see your competitors, what you are up against, what their maximum and qualifying times are.
“So, I had an idea that I would get medals. But it also depends on the day.
“Gold is always better but I am happy with silver.”
Barry started power lifting six years ago with the help of national coach Andre Ludik and, in 2012, she started competing. She is now mentored by Ilze Maritz.
Although at first she tried to juggle both studies and power lifting, she later decided to take a break from the sport due to the intensive training.
“I took a threeyear break from power lifting and did my master’s degree in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, because the training is intense,” she said.
“I started again at the beginning of the year and I just decided I wanted to improve.
“Power lifting is an addictive sport because every time you get a personal best you want to do better.”
Her impressive results this year have also earned Barry a spot at the All Africa Championships taking place in Algeria later this week, but she will not be participating due to financial constraints.
“I am disappointed that I will not be attending the All Africa Champs,” she said.
“It would have been nice to do it, I have not done it before, but because I have to finance everything myself it’s been a very expensive year.
“I had to decide either to go to the Africa Champs or the World Masters. I decided on the Masters because it’s bigger and it can take you to world rankings.
“It’s an exciting thing to have been nominated in any international competition.
“It’s good to know that you were one of the people chosen and that your hard work pays off at the end. Maybe next year I’ll go to the Africa Champs.”
It’s always nice to compete against the best in the world