Nadel and Ingel take gold in powerlifting

ILAN HERRMANN

The two were representing South Africa and were there for two reasons: To inspire collective representation from Africa in the sport so as to convince the Olympic International Committee (OIC) to include powerlifting as an Olympic sport and then, too, they were obviously there to compete and win!

Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press and dead lift.

Eleven South Africans competed in Morocco. The environment wasn’t the most pleasant so Nic and Carmit left early, soon after the tournament. 

Nic, who has been powerlifting for four years, took the gold in Master 1, age category 40-49, weight division 93-105 kg. Amazingly, Carmit took gold as well, winning Master 1, age category 40-49, weight division under 63 kg. 

Carmit, who has been powerlifting for two years and trains six days a week, is a huge proponent of the sport. “It is a huge self-esteem and confidence builder and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. The benefits are enormous and honestly, life changing.”

Nic who is an instructor at a training venue that he runs in Johannesburg, says it is a sport that you can take part in from as young an age as 14 to people in their 90s.

“It must be done with a trainer as technique is all-important and that will make all the difference,” he says. “It’s an incredible sport that instils discipline and humility. Once you get a taste of it, it’s magnetic. You’re competing with yourself all the time and it has an immense physiological benefit from fitness, to strength, to even weight loss.”

Having had a successful representation from Africa in the sport, an appeal is being drafted to the OIC to include the sport as an Olympic event. Currently there is no support from the government’s sports ministry, so everything from training, to events and even national representation, is privately financed by each participant.

Carmit is gearing up for next year’s World Powerlifting Championship in Texas, which will require as much as R50 000 per athlete to compete.

 ————————————————————————————————————————

Cycling the Wheels of Love – for a good cause

Two local cycling enthusiasts, Mark Meltzer and Mark Kruger, took time out of their busy schedules to participate in a very special cycle ride in late October – Wheels of Love.

In 1997, Geoffrey Freeman formed Wheels of Love, an annual international charity bike ride on behalf of the physically challenged children being rehabilitated at Alyn Hospital, Israel’s only paediatric and adolescent rehabilitation centre. That year nine riders raised $65 000; today it raises over $2 million, with well over 300 riders taking part.

Riders and volunteers from Israel and around the world participate in the extraordinary five-day ride through spectacular scenery. Aside from the locals, riders hail mainly from the US and Holland, with also a smattering from 15 other countries. This year there was also an entry from Jordan. 

The “Ride for a cause” model developed by Wheels of Love, enlists riders to participate in the fundraising and in this way they help determine the Ride’s philanthropic success. The participants inspire friends, family members, and colleagues to become involved, by sponsoring them.

The Ride lasts five days and this year it took place from Sunday, October 25 to Thursday October 29. This year the Ride began at the foot of Mount Tabor in the north of Israel and ended with a festive closing ceremony with the Children of Alyn Hospital in Jerusalem. 

Meltzer says: “I entered for the first time in 2013 when the Ride also covered the northern areas of Israel. It was memorable and I decided to repeat it. I found the fundraising commitment the most difficult as local donors are already committed to numerous charities.

“After contacting friends and family around the world, I raised almost enough to meet the minimum required. The constant depreciation of the rand made it difficult.”