Powerlifting popular in the west
The Gladiator Lifting Group (GLC) is hopeful more of their members will compete at the 2022 National Powerlifting competition in Suva next month.
The event is sanctioned by the Fiji Powerlifting Federation in conjunction with the International Powerlifting Federation.
The Lautoka-based club members have been testing their capabilities by lifting reasonable weights.
They are confident the new members will achieve the impossible.
Michael Sharma, 47, a history teacher at Nadi Muslim College (NMC) has been organising powerlifting competitions at the Pacific Fitness in Lautoka.
He has also been running trials in preparation for the national competition.
Sharma took up powerlifting in August 2017.
“I love challenging myself and one thing that powerlifting does is that you must set goals and you have to invest your time and effort to achieve those goals,” Sharma said.
“Learning through hard work and how to persevere modifies your behaviour, these are all towards achieving your goal.”
Sharma’s best so far is lifting 240kg, a third attempt at deadlifting.
“Although it’s only you who is standing on the stage during the competition, at the end of the day, whether you made it or not, your team mates are there for you.
“My goal is to surpass the maximums I have done. For example, I have done 225kg on squats and I would like to go beyond that.”
Meanwhile, Team GLC will miss this Saturday's 2022 National Squat competition at the Rabuka gym, in Suva due to work commitments.