The Ravens powerlifting team wrapped up its dominant season at the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) national competition in St. Catherines, Ont. March 30-April 5.
Erik Willis and Philip Brougham won their respective divisions in the 105-kilogram weight class for the men, while Sarah Clark placed sixth in the 72-kilogram weight class for the women.
Willis squatted 605 lbs, put up 390 lbs. on the bench press, and set a record with a deadlift of 683 lbs, while also setting the Canadian record with a total of nearly 1,700 lbs. for the meet.
“At the beginning it was a little nerve-racking, but by the end of it I knew there was [only] a slim chance that I would not win,” he said. “My numbers were just getting better.”
Brougham won the 19-23 junior age group with impressive lifts of his own. He squatted 528 lbs, bench pressed 325 lbs, and deadlifted 545 lbs, lifting almost 1400 lbs. in total.
“It was all in the squats for me early,” he said. “I started with 230 [kilograms], which was 30 [kilograms] higher than the next closest competitor.”
Willis said the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) is trying to push for more funding for the club.
He said the powerlifting team’s current funding is less than $1,000, and anyone wanting to join the team has to pay a registration fee and pay to use the varsity gym.
But that might change next year.
“From what I understand, CUSA is trying to get us competitive club status, which will get us more money for next year,” he said.
This is part of a larger initiative for athletic clubs to receive funding from both CUSA and the Athletics Department, according to Yaman Marwah, the university’s competitive clubs co-ordinator.
Currently, clubs are getting funding from only one of those organizations. By supporting competitive clubs through both CUSA and athletics, clubs will be able to get funding for expenses like travel and uniforms as well as using the official Ravens logo.
“This merger is mostly about creating more competitive clubs on campus, our campus only has 11 competitive clubs, when other schools like Western for example, have 38,” he said. “What this will do is allow clubs to double their funding, and get money from both CUSA and athletics.”
