FERGUS – Canada’s first sanctioned international all-round weightlifting competition took place in Fergus on Aug. 25 and saw 17 world records set by eight Canadian athletes.
This includes Elora’s Joe Somfay, who set three world records at 79 years old, “demonstrating that strength truly knows no age limits,” said competition organizer Chris Frappier.
Somfay set records in shanks lift, or dinnie deadlift, with 285 pounds, right hand dumbbell walk and left hand dumbbell walk, with 50 pounds for each hand.
Frappier called Somfay an inspiration: “calm, focused, and dedicated,” and noted he is also a volunteer at the Elora Centre for the Arts.
Frappier said the “marked a significant milestone in Canadian weightlifting history.”
The competition included 20 athletes – 16 from Canada and four from the United States – and took place at Anytime Fitness.
Elora resident Joe Somfay set three world records at the True North True Strength 2024 Open weightlifting competition in Fergus on Aug. 25, including a 285-pound dinnie deadlift, and 50-pound dumbbell walks with each hand. Photo by AJ Coghill of ALCO Visuals
Frappier describes it as a “vibrant showcase of both seasoned lifters and enthusiastic newcomers.”
“The atmosphere buzzed with energy, with around 40 to 50 spectators … adding to the excitement,” he writes in an article about the event on the United States All-Round Weightlifting Association website.
“My dream was to find another world record holder here in Canada,” Frappier told the Advertiser, but instead, he was able to find seven of them.
Five of those record breakers live in Wellington County, Frappier said.
That includes Aimee Young, who offers personal training and group classes at Centre Wellington Racquets and Fitness in Elora through her business Living 2B Awesome.
Frappier said Young brought four clients with her to the weightlifting competition, and each of them set world records, including Young herself.
Amanda Martinoni set world records in Turkish getup and right hand dumbbell walk at the True North True Strength 2024 Open in Fergus on Aug. 25. Photo by AJ Coghill of ALCO Visuals
“The women crushed the men,” Frappier said. “They all got world records.”
Frappier said this proved something he already knew – that “the women would be amazing.”
He organized the competition in honour of his late mother and to support women in weightlifting.
Fergus resident Denise Bowen is one of the women who attended the competition with Young.
Bowen set three world records while she was there: the trap bar deadlift, the Turkish getup, and the right hand dumbbell walk.
Denise Bowen told the Advertiser that when she lifts weights, it’s “almost like a meditation.” She set three world records at the True North True Strength 2024 Open weightlifting competition in Fergus on Aug. 25, but for Bowen it feels more significant that she beat her personal records that day, too. Photo by AJ Coghill of ALCO Visuals
But she told the Advertiser the world record “isn’t nearly as big of a deal” to her as it is that she beat her own personal records.
“I lifted more than I ever have in each of the lifts that I tried,” she said.
Bowen said she has been weightlifting for at least 15 years, but this was her first time competing.
She’d been preparing for the competition with a group of other women at Living 2B Awesome, and said the community she has found there is a “huge thing.”
Bowen said Young is “just phenomenal – constantly learning and sharing and doing great things” and said the group lessons include “a fabulous community of people.
“Everyone is supportive and pretty darn wonderful,” Bowen said – so much so that it’s easy to get out of bed for the 6:30am workouts.
Bowen said while doing a lift she “totally zones out.
“Its almost like a meditation for me. I’m simply there and moving my body in the way that I need to and doing my very best.”
Frappier described Bowen’s accomplishments as “remarkable feats.”
And Bowen said Frappier is “such a positive man” who she is so pleased to have met.
“He’s something else.”
Frappier broke records at the competition too: a 20-year-old record with his 500-pound trap bar deadlift and he set a left hand mix team deadlift of 405 pounds with Beth Skwarecki.
Alix McGregor set a world record with her trap bar dead lift. Photo by AJ Coghill of ALCO Visuals
The other world record setters were:
- 78-year-old Alix McGregor, who set a world record with her trap bar deadlift;
- Judy Hutchison, world record in trap bar deadlift;
- Amanda Martinoni, world records in Turkish getup and right hand dumbbell walk; and
- Nathan Joyes from Fergus, world records in Turkish getup (70 pounds) and overhead squat (115 pounds).
Fergus resident Nathan Joyes set world records in the Turkish getup with a 70 pound lift and the overhead squat by lifting 115 pounds. Photo by AJ Coghill of ALCO Visuals
