Leinster Powerlifting Open

Above: Bernie Delaney - World Champion 90KG


The Irish Powerlifting Organisation held their Leinster Open championships in The Hercules Club near King Street on Saturday. With several former world champions, world record holders, and one reigning world champion competing high standards were expected.

In competitive Powerlifting the entrants are split into weight classes, each competitor has three attempts at three types of lift, their heaviest completed squat, bench and deadlift are added together to form a total upon which the results are based.

Billy Kidd from Cabra opened the event by squatting 160 kilos, twice his bodyweight. Not bad for a man in his sixties I’m sure you’ll agree. Following Billy’s opening various lifters squatted triple their bodyweight, smashing numerous Irish records in the process.

Ger Smith from Blanchardstown set a new junior national record in the 75kg category with his opening squat of 200kg. He then beat that record with his second attempt, and again with his third and final lift of 225kg, adding 30kg in total to the national record. The Smith family is synonymous with powerlifting in Ireland. Gers father Dave soon stepped onto the platform to add to the family reputation once more. Dave is a former world champion now competing in the masters’ category. He completed the biggest squat of the day, 320kg, on his final attempt. Roughly the same as lifting a horse.

Qualifying for the world championships in Vienna this November was the goal of many of the lifters. Bernie Delaney from Dublin 15 did not have any such worries, as reigning world champ he qualifies automatically. Fitness Equipment Consultant by day, world powerlifting champ by night. The Blanchardstown native trains four days a week in the famed ‘Hercs’ club and is quietly confident of retaining his title come November. ‘Its nice to know I’m the one they’re all chasing, the one they have to beat’, Bernie has good reason to feel this way. He beat his own world record with an astounding total of 870kg in a sea of flashbulbs on Saturday. Unfortunately the absence of an international judge meant the total will remain unofficial but with three months training to go before Vienna it seems the sky is the limit for the reigning champ.

James Hanley is another man with his sights set on Vienna. The 22 year old, a serious lifter since his school days has taken his training to the next level recently. Personal bests in all three lifts mean he will be one to watch come November.

A veil of chalk dust covered the floor when Bernie Delaney finally stepped onto the podium to accept the trophy for Best Lifter. The standard displayed overall surpassed all expectation. Watch out for the Irish team in November.