67-year-old from Peterborough wins gold at Ontario championship
Richard Gosselin is finally a provincial powerlifting champion, after a 48-year wait.
The 67-year-old Peterborough resident captured the gold medal in the Master Men’s III 60-70 age group at the Ontario Powerlifting Association championship March 17 at the Montecassino Hotel in North York. Competing at 99.39 kilograms, Gosselin squatted 172.5 kilograms, bench pressed 125 kilograms and deadlifted 190 kilograms for a total lift of 487.5 kilograms.
Gosselin competed in powerlifting as a teenager but gave up the sport for 47 years to start a career and raise a family. He continued to work out to keep in shape and, after retiring, picked up power lifting again in late 2022 at GoodLife Fitness.
He qualified for the provincials in July of 2023.
“It’s been a long road of training, endless time spent in the gym, making sure I am taking care of my nutrition and keeping positive mentally,” Gosselin stated in a news release from Good life Fitness. “You don’t realize how taxing it can be on yourself. But I love it. The gym is my sanctuary and always has been. I’m grateful to be able to do what I love and follow my dreams. The people I have been getting to know and fellow competitors are such an inspiration.”
Gosselin encourages people to pursue their passions, to follow their lifelong dreams and never let their age hold them back as he did after retiring from a corporate job at 64. The gym had always been a place of refuge, since he was a young teen and into his adult life. A
Richard Gosselin competed in powerlifting as a teenager but gave up the sport for 47 years to start a career and raise a family
way to deal with stress and stay healthy. Which is why, after he retired, he began to go every day and started following his dream of being a powerlifting champion.
During his first meet, he met Matt Goldsmith, a personal trainer and coach, who took him on as a client. It’s helped Gosselin improve his technique and to break his personal records. Gosselin has also been working with a nutrition coach from Eat Method that has helped his game.
Gosselin trains at both GoodLife Fitness locations on Monaghan and Chemong roads. He says, during his time there, he’s met a lovely group of supportive people and thanks them for all their encouragement and motivation.
He’ll continue to train in hopes of competing at further events this year.