Ready to take on the rest
● Bay powerlifter scoops bench press title with 200kg effort
Despatch powerlifter Eben Booyens is ready to take his strength to record heights at the South African Equipped and Unequipped Bench Press Championship in Port Elizabeth later this month.
Booyens took the overall senior men’s crown at the Edge Fitness Club’s Bench Press Competition held at the Moffett on Main Lifestyle Centre on Saturday afternoon.
Booyens put on a show for onlookers as he pressed a mammoth 200kg on his third and final attempt to claim first place in the 93kg weight class, recording an unofficial Eastern Cape record in the process.
“My body has been very kind to me over the last few weeks. There are no injuries, as I have had before, so I am very glad about that,” he said.
“My mindset has also shifted now with getting the 200kg. It really gives me a confidence boost in addition to strengthening the mind,” Booyens said.
In other results in the men’s competition, sub junior lifter Jarrod-Lee Barnard took the overall title and first place in the 120kg class with a lift of 127.5kg. Simon Curtain claimed first place in the sub junior 83kg division, with 90kg.
In the junior category, Theodore Repinz claimed the win in the junior 105kg division with a 110kg press, while Christiaan Niewenhuisen took first in the junior 74kg class with a lift of 70kg.
The 83kg junior division saw Jaco Hanekom take first with a 145kg effort, followed by Ignatius Muller in second with 125kg and Unathi Mandla in third with a 110kg.
Sibulele Ntlokwana, competing in the senior 74kg category, managed 117.5kg to claim first place.
The 105kg senior division saw Dylan Duthie and JP Gonzalez both post lifts of 165kg as the pair claimed first and second respectively.
Eugene Nolan topped the 120kg+ division with a lift of 180kg.
Nicole Weideman took the overall junior crown, competing in the sub junior 57kg division, with a 42.5kg winning lift.
Zylmari du Preez claimed first place in the sub junior 63kg division a 35kg lift.
Michaela Eyre lifted 50kg in the sub junior 72kg division to take first position while Mienke Vinson, in the 84kg sub junior, lifted 37.5kg for top spot.
Patricia Harding ended the competition with first place in the junior 47kg division after her lift of 37.5kg, while her sister Samantha grabbed first place in the junior 63kg division with a lift of 45kg.
Unathi Mkata took top spot in the senior 63kg division with 27.5kg.
Nicole September claimed the overall senior win, in addition to her first place in the 72kg senior division with a lift of 70kg.
Clarisa Annandale took first place in the senior 84kg division after a lift of 70kg, while Elisabeth Barry claimed first in the 52kg Masters 1 division with a lift of 40kg.
The disabled category saw Mbasa Qilingele take the win in the 73kg sub junior category with a 65kg press.
On the men’s side, Siphosethu Seti claimed first in the senior 49kg division with a lift of 60kg, Max Kulati did an 80kg lift to take first in the senior 72kg division, while Haldane Adams took first in the senior 80kg division with a 70kg lift.