Harwood Union High School senior Jeswin Antony, 17, Waterbury, placed on the record board during the All Raw Powerlifting competition at The Forge Gym in Waterbury Center on Saturday, March 18. Jeswin’s lifts were: squat -- 165kg, bench -- 92.5kg, and deadlift -- 197.5kg.
“The truck from Chittenden County containing lifting equipment arrived at the Forge Gym around 6:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. Saturday’s event had 14 lifters ages 17 to 77. The competition began at 10 a.m. and for many of these lifters, it was their first competition,” Forge Gym owners Heather and Kyle Smith explained via press release.
In addition to the Harwood senior, Heather Smith said other athletes competing included UVM students, mothers, a father and son duo, and even a 77-year-old grandmother, Bonner Brown, who set a slew of records as well.
“Twenty-four Vermont state and national records were broken by 12 full power lifters and one individual dead lifter. The enthusiastic, large group of spectators cheered everyone on with wonderful community spirit. All Raw Powerlifting is managed by Jazmin Averbuck with head judge Mike Berby,” Smith wrote.
“This is the second time we have hosted this event with the All Raw Powerlifting Federation, the first being last May 14, 2022. The event has doubled in size compared to last year and we had much more interest from spectators in general. Kyle Smith is the personal trainer at The Forge and holds world records in powerlifting with his age and weight class at the time. Jeswin is just one of many Harwood students who work out religiously here at The Forge Gym and we are very proud of them,” Heather Smith noted.
