Olds powerlifters Ben Worsell and Archie Ulry came home with gold medals from the Alberta Powerlifting Union Provincial Championship, held in Calgary on July 5 and 6.
Worsell, 53, earned gold lifting in the 120-kilogram-plus men's master 2 division, bench pressing 237.5 kilograms (522.5 pounds), setting a provincial record for his age and weight division in the process. Worsell was competing in the equipped category, meaning he wears a weight harness when lifting.
Worsell has been competing since 2006, although he's been lifting non-competitively for many years. He said he finds the discipline needed to compete and getting stronger as he gets older, the best parts of competing.
“When I first started out in 2006 I was benching about 425 pounds so I've put almost 100 pounds on my bench (press). I've met a lot of really good people and it's a sport you can participate in at any age,” he said, noting that one Alberta man, Joe Stockinger, is 82 and still competing.
Worsell plans to travel to the Canadian championships next March in St. Catherines, Ont.
Ulry earned a gold medal in the three-lift competition (squat lift, bench press and dead lift) in the men's masters 2 division. He did three lifts in each of the disciplines, with his best being 192.5 kilograms (423.5 pounds) in the squat lift, 105 kilograms (231 pounds) in the bench press and 227.5 kilograms (500.5 pounds) in the dead lift.
Worsell and Ulry are members of the Olds Strength Guild, a club that helps athletes in powerlifting, Olympic lifting, strongman, grip strength, arm wrestling, kettle bells and bodybuilding disciplines.
Other members of the guild, including Tim Bowen, Tanner Pochahpsky, Ariel Chessall and Ryan Block, will compete at the Big Rock Open and Western Canadian Parapowerlifting Open on Aug. 10 in Calgary. Pochapsky and Chessall will attempt to set records in their respective age and weight categories.
