The Maryland Powerlifting Report 4/7/08
Local News:
Coming to Annapolis, Maryland; 100% RAW National Bench Press/Deadlift/Strict Curl- June 28th; to get an entry form, here.
Brad Madvig announces the launch of a website in tribute to Phillip Battle. Click on the banner
Matt Gary on the USAPl Richmond Open; in his Friday (4/4/08)training log entry at the Maryland Powerlifting message board, Matt gives a report on the USAPL Richmond Open which includes highlights of Maryland lifter, Andrew Cohn and Washington, D.C.'s, Romaine Bostic;
This afternoon was the start of a special weekend as we and many others (Jim Roberts, Romaine Bostick, Andrew Cohn, Niko Hulslander to name a few) drove down to Virginia to participate in the 2008 USAPL Richmond Open Powerlifting Championships honoring the late Phillip Battle.
I’ll discuss my training then elaborate on the competition.
Now for the good part....the 2008 USAPL Richmond Open Powerlifting Championships! Sioux-z, Jim Roberts, and myself all served as referees at the meet. There were approximately 60-something lifters including several special Olympians. That crew is always exciting to work with. There isn’t a more inspirational group of lifters out there. Talk about uplifting!!!
Local lifter and newly sponsored (APT) Andrew Cohn lifted raw at a lean 198 and walked away with three new PRs. When the chalk dust settled Andrew squatted a PR 413, benched 275, and hit a PR deadlift of 485 with a near technical miss at 501. Man, that 501 was so close. He locked it out with a slight “up n down” in the middle. I have every confidence that Andrew will nail that and more at Raw Nationals in July. Nevertheless his 485 added to his PR total. Washington, DC’s own Romaine Bostick also made the trip and when we left the venue he had gone 4/6 heading into the deadlift. Romaine had a little trouble with depth in the squats but came back to make two successful squats including a big 644 weighing-in light in the 242-pound class. Then he hit two benches including a 467. Romaine and I exchanged emails later in the evening and he ended with a 1,670-pound total.
Also in attendance was Jason Beck. Jason is a multi-time national champion and has finished as high as second in the IPF Worlds at 100kg. Jason was on hand to help coach a few lifters. He’s taking a break from powerlifting this year as he recovers from an umbilical hernia injury. More important, he and his wife Shannon are expecting their first child this June. He may hit a local strongman competition later this year and I’m sure whenever he returns to the platform he’ll still be a force to be reckoned with.
Not to diminish the efforts of Andrew, Romaine, and the other competitors, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the official meet director, Phillip Battle. Phillip was the USAPL Virginia vice-chairman. Tragically, at the age of 30, he passed away a few weeks ago. Anyone that met Phillip quickly noticed that he was a true gentleman with a heart of gold. He was one of the nicest fellows in the iron game. Last November, he drove all the way from Richmond to Stewartstown, PA to help Niko at the Garage Ink Invitational. Phillip had been involved in powerlifting for over a decade and always gave back to the sport by helping local underprivileged youth learn to lift weights.
Phillip’s parents and sister attended the competition and were met with a nice meet in his honor. At the start of the meet, there was a moment of silence. Later, after the bench pressing had concluded, Niko and some of the competition staff stopped the action and held a very special tribute. The bar was loaded to 551 pounds. (This was the last weight that Phillip had benched in competition.) The head judge gave the start command, the press command, and the rack command. All three judges followed with three white lights and we all paused again to reflect upon Phillip’s life, his gift of friendship, and love to us. Honestly, it kinda felt like Phillip was hanging around with us all day. Myself and many others were moved by his presence. I know he would have been proud.
Apparently, the USAPL Richmond Open Powerlifting Championships will now be held each year as some type of Phillip Battle memorial meet. The details are forthcoming. Either way, Sioux-z and I look forward to being a part of those meets in the years to come.
It’s not often that you come across people that touch your heart like that. Phillip Battle was one of those rare special people. Powerlifting definitely lost one of the good guys way too soon. He will be sorely missed by all of us that had the good fortune of knowing him.
Results:
March 29- APA Southeastern Seaboard Open (Georgetown, SC)- click here.
IPA News:
Power Paloosa 10- April 19 & 20, Leesport, PA; Roster
Coming to Annapolis, Maryland; 100% RAW National Bench Press/Deadlift/Strict Curl- June 28th; to get an entry form, here.
Brad Madvig announces the launch of a website in tribute to Phillip Battle. Click on the banner
Matt Gary on the USAPl Richmond Open; in his Friday (4/4/08)training log entry at the Maryland Powerlifting message board, Matt gives a report on the USAPL Richmond Open which includes highlights of Maryland lifter, Andrew Cohn and Washington, D.C.'s, Romaine Bostic;
This afternoon was the start of a special weekend as we and many others (Jim Roberts, Romaine Bostick, Andrew Cohn, Niko Hulslander to name a few) drove down to Virginia to participate in the 2008 USAPL Richmond Open Powerlifting Championships honoring the late Phillip Battle.
I’ll discuss my training then elaborate on the competition.
Now for the good part....the 2008 USAPL Richmond Open Powerlifting Championships! Sioux-z, Jim Roberts, and myself all served as referees at the meet. There were approximately 60-something lifters including several special Olympians. That crew is always exciting to work with. There isn’t a more inspirational group of lifters out there. Talk about uplifting!!!
Local lifter and newly sponsored (APT) Andrew Cohn lifted raw at a lean 198 and walked away with three new PRs. When the chalk dust settled Andrew squatted a PR 413, benched 275, and hit a PR deadlift of 485 with a near technical miss at 501. Man, that 501 was so close. He locked it out with a slight “up n down” in the middle. I have every confidence that Andrew will nail that and more at Raw Nationals in July. Nevertheless his 485 added to his PR total. Washington, DC’s own Romaine Bostick also made the trip and when we left the venue he had gone 4/6 heading into the deadlift. Romaine had a little trouble with depth in the squats but came back to make two successful squats including a big 644 weighing-in light in the 242-pound class. Then he hit two benches including a 467. Romaine and I exchanged emails later in the evening and he ended with a 1,670-pound total.
Also in attendance was Jason Beck. Jason is a multi-time national champion and has finished as high as second in the IPF Worlds at 100kg. Jason was on hand to help coach a few lifters. He’s taking a break from powerlifting this year as he recovers from an umbilical hernia injury. More important, he and his wife Shannon are expecting their first child this June. He may hit a local strongman competition later this year and I’m sure whenever he returns to the platform he’ll still be a force to be reckoned with.
Not to diminish the efforts of Andrew, Romaine, and the other competitors, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the official meet director, Phillip Battle. Phillip was the USAPL Virginia vice-chairman. Tragically, at the age of 30, he passed away a few weeks ago. Anyone that met Phillip quickly noticed that he was a true gentleman with a heart of gold. He was one of the nicest fellows in the iron game. Last November, he drove all the way from Richmond to Stewartstown, PA to help Niko at the Garage Ink Invitational. Phillip had been involved in powerlifting for over a decade and always gave back to the sport by helping local underprivileged youth learn to lift weights.
Phillip’s parents and sister attended the competition and were met with a nice meet in his honor. At the start of the meet, there was a moment of silence. Later, after the bench pressing had concluded, Niko and some of the competition staff stopped the action and held a very special tribute. The bar was loaded to 551 pounds. (This was the last weight that Phillip had benched in competition.) The head judge gave the start command, the press command, and the rack command. All three judges followed with three white lights and we all paused again to reflect upon Phillip’s life, his gift of friendship, and love to us. Honestly, it kinda felt like Phillip was hanging around with us all day. Myself and many others were moved by his presence. I know he would have been proud.
Apparently, the USAPL Richmond Open Powerlifting Championships will now be held each year as some type of Phillip Battle memorial meet. The details are forthcoming. Either way, Sioux-z and I look forward to being a part of those meets in the years to come.
It’s not often that you come across people that touch your heart like that. Phillip Battle was one of those rare special people. Powerlifting definitely lost one of the good guys way too soon. He will be sorely missed by all of us that had the good fortune of knowing him.
Results:
March 29- APA Southeastern Seaboard Open (Georgetown, SC)- click here.
IPA News:
Power Paloosa 10- April 19 & 20, Leesport, PA; Roster
posted by Maryland Powerlifting | 12:09 PM
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