Former Douglas Park Primary School and Wairarapa College student Joel Hintz has been quick to make his mark in the sport of powerlifting.
The 16-year-old, who now studies at St Patrick's College in Silversteam, only got serious last year but earlier this month he was a dual medal winner at the national championships in Dunedin.
Hintz won the title of sub-junior champion for competitors 18 years and under and came first in his weight class of 105kg.
Powerlifting is a combination of three lifts with Hintz managing a personal best of 220kg in the squat, 130kg in the bench and 200kg in the dead lift for a total of 550kg.
Just eight days after that success Hintz took the field for his school's first XV rugby team in the grand final of the Wellington secondary schools competition and also celebrated victory there, St Patrick's winning 6-3.
