When the same sporting code gets highlighted for two consecutive months in a feature such as the SPAR/The Herald Homegrowing Hero initiative, chances are that code’s in pretty good shape.
That certainly seems to be the case when it comes to weightlifting – last month our winner was Luande Viljoen and, this month, it is the turn of Thomas Farquhar.
The 19-year-old weightlifter, who attended Grey High School, excelled when he set three new SA records on his way to the gold medal at the recent SA Coastal Championships held in Mossel Bay.
Competing in the under94kg division, Farquhar impressed at the Eden Fitness club venue, when he bettered his own record to set a new snatch benchmark at 140kg!
He then took things a step further, with a massive 173kg clean-and-jerk to claim gold and another record, bettering his own previous lift of 150kg.
He gives much of the credit to his coach, Piet Pretorius.
“My first snatch was a bit rushed so we missed it, but [I was] still relaxed and confident, so we went on to 130kg again to secure the lift, then my coach said we should go 138kg for the record,” Farquhar said.
“I then suggested that we try 140kg and once I landed that, it just gave me all the confidence I needed to carry me through my other lifts.”
He also claimed the total record, with both lifts adding up to 313kg, for his third gold medal and national record.
This was also enough to ensure that the young athlete was named Homegrowing Hero.
Farquhar, who has his eyes firmly fixed on competing on the international stage in future, is certainly in good hands when it comes to the coaching side of the sport.
Piet Pretorius is not only acknowledged as being one of the foremost coaches in his field, but is also the father of Commonwealth bronze medallist now based in the US, the celebrated Mona Pretorius.
Pretorius said Farquhar undoubtedly had the talent and if “he keeps his head” he will go far in the sport.
“Unfortunately, at the start of his career a few years ago, he hurt himself playing rugby and that maybe set him back a little, but since his return from that injury he really has excelled,” Pretorius said.
“Last year he won the South African Senior Championships as a 17-year-old. He finished fourth at the Commonwealth Games already and has posted six SA records,” the coach said.
Farquhar’s records include three in the under-94kg category and three in the under-105kg category.
He also won the Champion of Champions Trophy for the Best Senior Male lifter at the championships.
At international level he has succeeded too – winning the prestigious Gold Medal at the Arnold Classic Africa Senior Championships.
Pretorius credits Mona with having introduced Farquhar to weightlifting.
He says Farquhar attended Mona’s gym to involve himself in Cross-Fit. Mona later suggested that he try weightlifting – and took to it immediately.
“I have been training him now for the past three or four years and it’s been very satisfying to watch his progress,” Pretorius said.
“We train hard – five or six times a week for two to three hours at a time.
“He has now been selected for the South African team which will take part in an international competition in Thailand next February.”
Farquhar was previously selected to represent SA at the African Senior Weightlifting Championships in Mauritius but was unable to compete due to study commitments.
With nothing holding him back this time, we will be watching his exploits with great interest and would not be at all surprised should we soon be reporting on his international victories.