2007 Feelgood Powerlifting Challenge

On Saturday April 14 the Feelgood Wellness Spa organized and hosted a friendly Powerlifting contest for its strongest members. The “2007 Feelgood Powerlifting Challenge” was well attended by friends, family, Feelgood members, and some enthusiastic residents from the Preluna Hotel. The competition was overseen by officials Georgei Manolov and Dmitry Popovic.

Powerlifting competitions consist of attempts at maximal weights in 3 exercises; the squat (the legs must bend until the thigh is below parallel to the floor), bench press (the bar must come into contact with the chest and pause there for one second before pressing), and deadlift. The best attempts at each lift are added and points are calculated using a formula that also takes into account the lifters’ age and bodyweight. This year’s Feelgood champion Erton Caruana (above left) snatched first place with some

exciting lifting. In the Deadlift, Caruana picked up nearly two-and-a-half times his own bodyweight with his 165kg lift. He posted a final total of 395kgs, which at a bodyweight of 67kgs earned him 305 points. Hot on his heels in 2nd place was 69kg rival Sean Galea (left) as both lifters continuously jockeyed for the 1st place trophy throughout the competition. Galea posted an impressive 135kg squat, eventually going on to total 379kgs for 285 points.

Nikolai Borg won the crowd’s support with his final deadlift attempt and valiant struggle against 145kgs. A lift that normally takes no more than several seconds to complete, turned into a drawn out war as the bar inched agonizingly slowly off the floor and up into its final position. He eventually lifted a total of 355kgs, which at a bodyweight of 68.5kgs secured him the 3rd place trophy with 270 points. At 61-years-young, Nick Matthews (below right) kept all the lifters under pressure with an impressive 300kgs total earning him 4th place with 255 points.

The crowd was also entertained with some bar-bending poundages from the two guest lifters Matthew Muscat Inglott and Mario Mifsud. Matthew Muscat Inglott lifted as part of his preparation for the upcoming British North East Championships in Yorkshire on April 28. At a bodyweight of 80kgs, he accumulated 366 points with his final total of 540kgs.

National Junior record holder in the Discus throw, athlete Mario Mifsud pitted his hulking 110kg bodyweight against some awesome weights in his first competition of this kind. To the delight of the crowd, he picked up his final deadlift of 250kgs with ease, showing great potential to do some damage in the international raw heavyweight classes in the imminent future. He lifted a grand total of 615kgs for 361 points.