2010 Team Championships rock Zebbug

The 2010 MDFPA Team Championships were a resounding success as 16 lifters rocked the gym floor at Fitness Planet in Zebbug. Defending Champions Heavy Metal from Birkirkara (below) easily lifted their way to a second title. The Mifsud - Schembri - Ransley trio achieved a combined total of 1015 points. World Champion and team captain Mario Mifsud cruised his way through with a token 220 squat, 170 bench and 300kg deadlift. This was his first appearance in a Powerlifting event since winning the World Championships in Milton Keynes last Novemer and subsequently signing a sponsorship deal with Holland & Barrett.


In second place were the Iron Gladiators from Bertu's Gym in Gharghur. Kris Mintoff led his two brand new lifters to a combined tally of 875 points. Herman Mula and Jonathan Galea registered convincing performances in their first ever appearances on the local platform, slotting in at numbers 16 and 21 respectively in the national rankings.

The Cilia - Buhagiar - Cauchi combo from Challenger in Cottonera came in third with their total of 802 points. Marvin Cilia weighed in for the 110kg category and proved a real contender for that category, clawing his way up to 9th place in the national rankings. His two lifters Josmar Buhagiar and Elton Cuachi were also making their debuts. Lifting in the 82.5kg category, Buhagiar stunned all with an incredible deadlift, attempting to break Matthew Muscat Inglott's deadlift record of 245kgs in his first ever competitive experience. He just missed it, but only time will tell what this newcomer will pull over the coming season.


Favourite's for a top spot, Degiorgio - Dolgopolyk - Spiteri from Fitness Planet itself had to be content with 4th place after Degiogio's blunder in the Bench Press. They still however managed to elbow past Raw Power of Sliema, who also suffered a bomb-out from their Captain Sean Galea. Most notable performance from Fitness Planet was Alexsandr Dolgopolyk who has stormed his way up to number 4 in the rankings, jumping past Emanuel Schembri (above). The top 5 lifters in the country are now Mario Mifsud, Matthew Musct Inglott, Charles Degiorgio, Alexsandr Dolgopolyk and Emanuel Schembri.

Following are the individual results;

1. Mario Mifsud – Heavy Metal – 366
2. Alexsandr Dolgopolyk – Fitness Planet – 342
3. Emanuel Schembri – Heavy Metal – 338
4. Kristian Mintoff – Iron Gladiators – 328
5. Marvin Cilia – Challenger – 319
6. Daniel Debono – Raw Power – 312
7. Lawrence Ransley – Heavy Metal – 310
8. Josef Spiteri – Fitness Planet – 306
9. Edward Attard – Raw Power – 295
10. Herman Mula – Iron Gladiators – 289
11. Josmar Buhagiar – Challenger – 273
12. Jonathan Galea – Iron Gladiators – 258
13. Elton Cauchi – Challenger – 210
14. Sean Galea – Raw Power – DNF
15. Charles Degiorgio – Fitness Planet – DNF


The event was refereed by Nikolai Borg, Matthew Muscat Inglott, and Adelia Saliba. A special thanks goes out to Fitness Planet in Zebbug for being magnificent hosts to the MDFPA an all local lifters.