Fundraiser for champ powerlifters

ELITE: Brett Gibbs, left, and Joel Hintz are world-class athletes who train at the same Masterton gym and will be representing New Zealand in South Africa next month.

Two elite Wairarapa powerlifters will put their prowess on public display at the Regent 3 Cinemas tomorrow night.

Junior world record-holder Brett Gibbs, 22, and sub-junior national record-holder Joel Hintz, 17, late last year qualified in their respective divisions for the International Powerlifting Federation world championships being held in Johannesburg next month.

Their manager and Hintz' powerlifting father, Tim Hintz, said a demonstration of powerlifting from the pair will be held in the foyer of the Queen St theatre ahead of a screening of the film Generation Iron, as part of a fundraising drive to get the pair to the IPF champs in South Africa.

Mr Hintz said he hoped the demonstration will be an introduction for some who are new to the sport or had never viewed a powerlifting contest.

"Depending on how the boys feel on the night, I hope they'll get a reasonable amount of weight on the bar."

Powerlifting consists of three events - the squat, deadlift and bench press - during which competitors lift successively heavier weights in three attempts. Their best lift from each of the three events comprise an overall total.

Competition is divided into two categories; equipped lifting that allows a supportive bench shirt or squat and deadlift suit or briefs, and raw lifting that is performed without the specialised clothing.

Event sponsor and Wai Weight Private Gym owner Bevan Mackenzie, who is supporting the fundraiser alongside the Wairarapa Times-Age and MTF Masterton, said Gibbs had been for the past six years training at the Masterton gymnasium, where the Hintz pair also started soon afterward as part of the Wai Weight Powerlifting team.

"How often do you get two people competing on the world stage who both train in a small town at the same gym. It really is phenomenal and the boys deserve all the support they can get.

"I always want to help members of the gym to achieve some of their goals and excel, whoever they are. People should get along and watch just what these boys are capable of doing - they really are exceptional."

Mr Mackenzie said other members of the gym had shown generous support for the two powerlifters and he hoped that goodwill will extend to the wider community the pair will ultimately represent on the world stage. "It's all about supporting the boys and getting in behind them."

Mr Mackenzie said there are only a limited number of tickets available and donations are accepted from anybody who cannot make it on the night. Tickets for the fundraiser are $15 each and are available from Wai Weight at 370 9339 or MTF Masterton at 377 0178.