The medal count, titles and records continued to fall for local members of the powerlifting community over the last week, with Valerie Smith-Palmer of Flowery Branch and Georgia IronDawg Tim "T" Moon of Gainesville taking titles at different venues.
Moon, the world's strongest bench-presser over the age of 50, won his 23rd world championship at the World Association of Benchpressers and Deadlifters (WABDL) World Championships in Las Vegas on Nov. 18, while Smith-Palmer set National and World Records at the International Powerlifting League (IPL) drug-tested World Powerlifting Championships in Marietta, also on November 18.
Smith-Palmer competed "classic, raw" and went 8 of 9 on her lifts, winning world titles in the open and women's master's divisions.
"I ended with an (over) 858-pound total: (a little over) 292 squat, 192 bench and 374 deadlift," Smith-Palmer said. "I took all the IPL world records in the masters, M1-division as well as the 148 open division. I also took the deadlift IPL world record in the non-drug-tested division. I took all the National records in the USPA masters division and the deadlift national record in the open division."
Meanwhile, due to a scheduling problem, Moon had to go against younger lifters in Las Vegas in the 308-pound open class.
"I was not able to get there the day before to compete in the master's against my age bracket so I chose to compete against the young guys," Moon said.
"I missed my opening attempt of 755 pounds," Moon said. "I re-took it on my second and locked it out fairly easily. I then attempted 827, which would have been a WABDL Open world record and a personal best. I couldn't quite lock it out."
Moon's lift of 755 won the 308 open class and was enough to win the best heavy-weight lifter of the meet by formula. The 53-year-old Moon weighed in at 288 pounds.
"I'm very blessed to have had the opportunity to compete this year at numerous competitions and win them all, " Moon noted. "At my age, I have come to realize the next meet could be the last. I am often asked how much longer I will compete. My answer is as long as I am healthy and successful."
"My daughter Lydia and her friend Kirsten were able to join me in Vegas as she has moved to San Francisco to help start a new church with her musical talents. God has made me strong!"
Moon is set to compete in a World Association of Amateur Powerlifters (WUAP) local meet in Houston, Texas, on Sunday.
"I don't train anymore," Moon said with a laugh, "I just compete."
Other local lifters will look to end the year this Saturday at the Body by George Meet in Loganville.
One who will not be on hand to compete is IronDawg team captain, R. Garry Glenn of Oakwood.
"I'm having to take some time off to get some things (surgically) fixed that I probably should have taken care of some time ago," Glenn said. "I hope to be back in the gym in a couple of months. I look forward to getting back on the platform when I am all healed up."
Both Moon and Glenn are alumni of Jefferson High in Jefferson.
