Gilroy
– Several Gilroy and Hollister residents have powerlifted their
way right into the World Association of Benchers and Dead Lifters
(WABDL) world championships.
At last weekend’s WABDL State Bench Press and Dead Lifters
Championships, 10 local lifters competed. Nine had first-place
finishes and automatically qualified for November’s world
championships, which will be held in Reno. Four of those
first-place performances also broke state records.
Gilroy – Several Gilroy and Hollister residents have powerlifted their way right into the World Association of Benchers and Dead Lifters (WABDL) world championships.
At last weekend’s WABDL State Bench Press and Dead Lifters Championships, 10 local lifters competed. Nine had first-place finishes and automatically qualified for November’s world championships, which will be held in Reno. Four of those first-place performances also broke state records.
“What’s funny is that we have another meet in Sacramento in September and these guys don’t have to go (because they’ve already qualified for the world championships), but (some) are going back to try do better,” said Jack Peters, 73, of Gilroy, who took first place in the Master Men 68-74 age division at the competition. “How do you do better than first place? It’s a dedicated group.”
In the dead lift, state records were set by Gilroy’s Andre Pulizzi and Hollister’s Gary Stevens and Al Totorelli. Gilroy’s Tina Riley broke the state record in the Submaster Women division. Other first-place finishers included Gilroy’s Larry Esquivel in the dead lift and Apolonio Jaregui, Jack Peters and Danny Russo in the bench press. Adolfo Davila of Hollister also took first in the bench press.
Peters was a little disappointed with his bench press result of 203.7 lbs.
“I thought I could have done better,” Peters said. “But at my age, I guess I should be satisfied. There were not that many men over 70 in there. … It gets harder and harder when you get older.”
Russo said he thought all of the lifters turned in solid performances. Russo himself benched 10 lbs. more than he did at the group’s last big meet, the West Coast Open in Monterey on March 5.
“Everybody improved from Monterey,” he said.
The group now focuses on November, when the world championships will be held. The majority of the lifters have never been to the international competition before.
Peters has competed at worlds before and is looking forward to the experience once again.
“I’ve gone two or three times,” Peters said. “There’s something about the worlds. It’s the atmosphere.”
Peters estimated that about 500 lifters compete at the world championships in front of 1,000 spectators.
“There’s people from France, Hawaii, a lot of big fellas from Texas, the Los Angeles group always has the beach boy-type,” Peters said. “It’s a group of very nice people.”
Deadlift
Lifter • Division • Weight Class • Weight Lifted
Larry Esquivel • Law/Fire Master Men 40-47 • 165 • 352.5*
Andre Pulizzi • Junior Men 20-25 • 165 • 501.5**
Gary Stevens Class 1 • Men 259 • 540**
Al Totorelli Submaster • Men 34-39 • 220 • 606.2**
Bench press
Lifter • Division • Weight Class • Weight Lifted
Adolfo Davila • Open Men • 165 • 435.2*
Apolonio Jauregui • Class 1 Men • 220 • 363.7*
Joaquin Perez • Open Men • 242 • 391.2 (fourth place)
Jack Peters • Master Men 68-74 • 242 • 203.7*
Tina Riley Submaster • Women • UL • 231.2**
Danny Russo • Submaster Men 34-39 • 181 • 330.5*
* First place; ** First place, state record
