JONESBORO -- The Georgia IronDawgs pulled off a sweep of the team titles at the American Powerlifting Committee (APC) 10th anniversary national championships in Benchpress and Powerlifting at the Clarion Hotel in Jonesboro.
Last year, the 'Dawgs swept the bench and fullpower awards in Illinois. This year they were able to do so much closer to home.
Fullpower team captain Dwon Johnson of Gainesville, an East Hall Alumnus, got the Fullpower division of the IronDawgs off to a good start on Saturday with his win in the Sub-masters Raw 140-plus kilogram/308.64 pounds weight class. On Sunday, Gainesville resident Gary Hatfield, the strength coach and assistant softball coach at Brenau University kept things rolling with first place in the master’s men’s equipped 50-54 100 kg/220.46 lbs class with a total in the squat, bench and deadlift of 802.5 kg/1,769.19 lbs to help the IronDawgs to the overall Champions Cup in the fullpower division. Hatfield’s squat of 340 kg/749.56 lbs was a new world record. Johnson’s Saturday total of 837.5 kg/1,846.35 lbs earned him the Champion of Champions award.
The Dawgs also got wins Sunday from Georgians Kevin Eubanks of Bogart in the master’s men’s 40-44 90 kg/198.41 lbs raw division (590.5 kg/1,301.82 lbs) and Trion’s Danny Overbay in the equipped master’s men’s 50-54, 90 kg class (637 kg/1,404.33 lbs). Also for the ‘Dawgs, Steve Kylis of Venice, Fla., won, while Winterville’s Andy Williamson finished second in his class.
Alpharetta's Ariel Bulmash also set world records in every lift with a 120 kg/264.55 lbs squat, a 77.5 kg/170.86 lbs bench press and a 137.5 kg/303.13 lbs deadlift for a total of 327.5 kg/722.01 lbs as she won the women's 16-17-year-old, 60 kg/132.28 lbs division.
Meanwhile, the newest IronDawg, 21-year-old Kyle Scott of Bogart, made his debut with the team in a big way, recording a world record bench press in winning the Juniors’ 75 kg/165.35 lbs class. Scott pressed 140 kg/308.64 lbs on his way to totaling 577.5 kg/1,273.16 lbs. Scott squatted 210 kg/462.97 lbs and deadlifted 227.5 kg/501.55 lbs.
"Congratulations to all our team members for coming away with a lot of hardware," Glenn said. "The great news is we've not only won again, we've still got plenty of room to improve. We're especially pleased we've got some younger folks who are lifting with us now. We've got a great blend of experience and youth, so we should be OK for some time to come."
Things got off to a strong, if not perfect, start for the IronDawgs on Friday in the bench press competition.
“We had a number of our folks set records -- but we also had others, me included, not do what they ultimately wanted to, but all of our designated scorers got at least one lift in, won individual championships and the team won as well,” said IronDawg Bench Captain, 58-year old R. Garry Glenn of Oakwood. “Also, those that won qualified for APC financial help in getting to the Equipped and Raw (Unequipped) World Championships later this year.”
In addition to winning team titles and individual accolades, the ’Dawgs also took two Best Lifter Awards.
Dana Tripp, of Grayson, lifting in the master’s women’s raw 40-44-year-old, 52-kilogram (114.64 pounds) weight class took the women’s master division best lifter plaque with her world record press of 41 kg (90.39 lbs). Not to be outdone by his wife, Russ Tripp of Grayson finished with his own world record of 140 kg (308.64 lbs) in taking the raw mater’s men’s 40-44-year-old 75 kg (165.35 lbs) weight class in his last meet in that age group. He’ll move up in age by the next meet. IronDawg Ken Milrany of Eastill Springs, Tenn., also took the men’s masters’ best lifter award with an outstanding press of 310 kg. (683.43 lbs) in winning the equipped master’s men’s 45-49-year-old 110 kg (242.51 lbs) class.
The judges also initially awarded a best lifter plaque to IronDawgs’ standout Tim “T” Moon of Gainesville -- before Moon pointed out the error. Moon finished with a press of 297.5 kg (655.87 lbs) and narrowly missed locking out a world record of 330 kg (727.52 lbs) in defending his national title in the master’s men’s 45-49 equipped 125 kg (275.58 lbs) weight class.
Glenn, the dean of the IronDawgs at 58, won his eighth national championship in various age and weight divisions by finishing at 142.5 kg (314.16 lbs) in taking the first place medal in the master’s men’s equipped 90 kg (198.41 lbs) 55-59-year old equipped division; but missed locking out a national record try of 185 kg (407.85 lbs) in trying to break his own mark of 183 kg (403.44) in the class. Veteran lifter George Bradley of Gainesville added to his National Title total with a win in the master’s men’s 55-59 Equipped 67.5 kg (148.81 lbs) division with a press of 100 kg (220.46 lbs) He tried a world record of 115 kg (253.53 lbs) but also failed to complete the press.
“It was a good day, but not a great day,” Moon said. “It’s encouraging and discouraging at the same time.
“I know ‘T,’ George and I are all disappointed at not making those lifts, especially when you see how close we were -- inches or less. This is a very hard and humbling sport with strict and exacting standards. When you miss out on a goal, it makes you hungry to get back in the gym and work harder. As for Dana and Russ, they may be the most accomplished husband/wife team in all of bench-pressing. I’m especially happy for Ken, who despite being one of the strongest guys in the world in his class, had a stretch coming in when he hadn’t gotten in a valid lift. Now he’s won a best lifter plaque and qualified for two different World Championships.”
Other IronDawgs who won Friday included Uwe Thormann of Palm Harbor, Fla., who won the equipped, bench-only, master’s men’s 55-59 110 kg class with a press of 180 kg (396.83 lbs) and took the push/pull (bench-press/deadlift combination) championship by pulling 230 kg (507.06) off the floor in the deadlift. IronDawg Greg Zarus of Pinelake won the master’s men’s raw 45-49 82.5 kg (181.88 lbs) bench class with his press of 110 kg (242.51 lbs)
Another local lifter -- not competing with the IronDawgs for this meet -- who excelled was teenager Dylan Wagoner of Cleveland, who won the push/pull championship in the teen 18-19, raw, 140 kg (308.64 lbs) class. Despite being only a few pounds over the 125 kg class limit, Wagoner successfully benched 215 kg (473.99 lbs) and, on a granted fourth lift, deadlifted 307.5 kg (677.91). The World sanctioning body for the raw divisions is the Global Powerlifting Alliance (GPA). Wagoner’s marks would have broken the existing bench press and full-power marks in bench-only and deadlift. The GPA is expected to consider how push/pull marks will be scored later this year.
“I’m proud of all our lifters who continue to perform extremely well at the state and national levels,” Glenn said.
