Four Eastern Cape powerlifters are off to the land of the rising sun after being chosen to represent SA at an international event in May.
Jarrod Lee Barnard, Eben Booyens, Jaco Hanekom and disabled lifter Mbasa Qilingele have been selected to pull on the green and gold at the World Bench Press Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
The quartet earned their places after powerful gold medal performances in the national championships.
Booyens, who put on another star-studded performance, claimed gold medals in both the equipped and unequipped sections.
Lifting as a senior in the under-93kg category for each discipline, Booyens managed a massive 190kg, a new national record, in the unequipped section to take gold and the overall senior lifter titles.
In the equipped section, Booyens again put on a show as he moved a colossal 220kg to secure his second gold and overall senior lifter title.
He also received the Best of the Best Lifters men’s title.
Booyens, if he attends, will pull on the green and gold for the second time, having represented SA at the same competition in 2018.
“I am really excited to have another crack at the world championships, but more so to represent my country.
“I see this as a second chance for me, seeing that I did not do so well last year,” Booyens said.
“I cannot say I didn’t expect it as I was quite confident in my abilities and my training had been good leading up to the championships.
“There were a number of very good, skillful lifters in the lineup, so I knew I needed to pull out all the stops.”
Barnard, competing in the sub-junior division as a 120kg+ lifter, claimed gold in his section after posting a lift of 125kg, which secured the gold medal as well as the overall junior lifter title.
Hanekom, as a junior in the 83kg division, lifted 145kg to claim the gold medal and also the overall junior lifter crown.
Disabled lifter Qilingele competed with able-bodied lifters and claimed the gold medal in the 72kg sub-junior division with a lift of 67.5kg. This ensured that she won the overall sub-junior lifter title.
SA team
Unequipped/Classic
Women: Mbasa Qilingele (EC) Men: Jarrod Lee Barnard (EC), Jaco Hanekom (EC), Eben Booyens (EC), Riaan Hayes (WC), Colin Young (WC), Glen van der Linde (Gau), Mark Stravino (WC), Charles Johnson (WC), Tobie Nortje (Gau), Tommie de Nysschen (FS), Ian Furman (Gau), Gerhardus Oosthuizen (KZN)
Equipped
Women: Megan Leighton (Gau), Nicola Green (Gau), Christi de Jager (Gau) Men: Ruben van der Linde (Gau), Eben Booyens (EC), Riaan Hayes (WC), Glen van der Linde (Gau), Mark Phillips (Gau), Colin Young (WC).