Limavady powerlifter breaks Irish record

WDFPF contender Andy Chapman travelled to Mullingar at the weekend and smashed the Irish record of 185kg by almost 20kg. Andy pulled 202.5kg at the 67.5kg senior class level wowing judges and fellow contenders a like.

The 28-year-old beat former record holder Gerard Smith, who held the All-Ireland title since the 2006 Irish Drug Free Powerlifting Association annual single lifts competition in West Meath. Andy has now qualified for the WDFPF World and European single lifts in deadlift, which will be later this year.

"I was just glad to do well in one of the lifts because I was having an awful day leading up to the deadlift.

"I had decided to concentrate on bench and deadlift as I thought I might have had a chance of setting records in both events.

"Bench was my first event and I completely bombed out, not able to even secure one legal lift. The record was eventually re-set anyway by a world champion in my weight category, Michael Gallagher from Dublin, who had a great competition. I had heard about him, but to compete against him was great. Along with Stuart Lowry from Belfast, he would be one of the top 67.5kg competitors in Europe.

"When it came to deadlift, I knew from past events that I had a chance, and luckily enough it worked out ok. The record in my class was 185, set in 2006, and in training, i had been pulling up to 200kgs. I pulled 200kgs at the NI raws in Omagh just before Christmas and my aim for the day was 210kgs. I managed a clean pull with my first attempt but failed 202.5kgs on my second lift, for failing to lock my knee. I wanted to try 210, but instead stuck with the failed weight and managed to get in on my last attempt," he said.

The 28-year-old says he will now be concentrating on taking it easy until the build up for the World and European titles.

Andy added: "I'll be glad to just get a break now for a wee while. My training partner Hugh McCloskey is in training for a GPC event in March at Ballymoney and it will be great to watch him gear up for a shot at a big deadlift record in the junior class of that federation."