FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- First-timers took top prizes at the third powerlifting competition at Fortenberry-Colton Physical Fitness Facility July 24.
Competitors participated in three events: squat, bench press and deadlift. First, second and third place prizes were awarded for each event in the various weight and age groups.
Malcom Smith and Madeline Clark pushed past the other participants and took home overall wins and gold medals in each event. Smith's total weight for all three events was 1,330 pounds while Clark scored a combined 635 pounds.
Neither had competed here before, but both heard about the competition from other participants and wanted to give it a try. After pulling off wins, both said they plan to compete in the next one.
"I've been competing since 1985," Smith said. "I had a lot of fun (here) and, if I don't have another competition to train for, I'll be back again."
Smith, a Flight School XXI academic instructor, said his primary goal for the meet was to test himself and find out where he needed work. He added he felt confident in his abilities, but still planned to train harder in each event.
Clark said she didn't expect to win and made the decision to compete "at the last minute."
"It really wasn't a planned thing for me," she said. "I had heard about it about three days before and kept thinking about signing up. Winning was a big surprise."
Currently in flight school here, she hopes to train more in certain events when she has time and hopes to compete again at the next post competition.
"This was a lot of fun," she said. "I'd never done the bench press before, so that was a personal best for me. It was definitely my hardest event."
Caroline Driscoll, Physical Fitness Program coordinator, said she was happy to see the level of interest in the meet rising and hopes to see even more new faces at the next one.
"I was really impressed with the number of experienced people we had this time," she said. "This sort of thing used to be really popular in the '80s and (early) '90s. I don't know if it will get back to that level again, but I think there's still a strong enough interest in the community that people will come out to challenge others and themselves."
Driscoll added that she hopes to see more participation from females and older powerlifters at the next meet.
"We didn't have any grandmasters (participants 50 years or older) this time," she said. "I'm hoping to see more participation from that group and from females at the next one."
No date has been set for the next competition, but Driscoll said it is tentatively scheduled for March 2011.
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