Moree’s very own powerlifter Eric Dumas is currently at the top of his game after being crowned the best master 2 (M2) lifter at the recent 2016 Asia/Oceania Powerlifting Championships for the third consecutive year.
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The 52-year-old veteran dominated the M2 93kg division at the championships, held in Christchurch, New Zealand in December.
Dumas won gold in the M2 93kg division – his fifth Oceania title and third consecutive combined Asia/Oceania title, as well as setting a number new records.
He came first in the squat section of the three lift competition, setting a new Australian, Oceania and Commonwealth 93kg M2 record with 255.5kg; first in the bench press with 145kg; and first in the deadlift, setting an Australian and Oceania 93kg M2 record with 265.5kg. This totalled 666kg, setting a new Australian and Oceania record.
While he was pleased with these results, Dumas said he always hopes for better.
“I did okay, I did the best I could at the time,” he said.
Dumas had a few setbacks prior to the champsionships.
“Training had been stalling in the last 12 or so weeks,” he said. “And for the first time I had to drop 8kg to make the 93kg division.”
The records Dumas set at the Asia/Oceania titles are an improvement on those established at the 2016 World Powerlifting Championships, held in Texas last year, where Dumas finished third overall, behind USA’s David Ricks and only 2.5kg behind Briton Robert Rodney.
It's not so much the activity itself, it's the competitive side. You really try to drag yourself out of the ordinary.
- Eric Dumas, powerlifter
Dumas’ American campaign yielded an additional squat silver medal behind Ricks, a squat open world record, and a bronze for his effort in the deadlift.
Dumas has been lifting weights since his late teens and resumed competing in 2010. He said the practice has many physical and mental benefits but his passion for the sport stems from its competitiveness.
“It’s not so much the activity itself, it’s the competitive side. You really try to drag yourself out of the ordinary,” Dumas said. “You’re never satisfied with what you do, always trying to do better.”
Dumas plans to get back into training at Moree PCYC this week in preparation for the 2017 World Powerlifting Championships in Minsk and 2017 Asia/Oceania Championships to be held in Singapore.
