Malta Powerlifting

Team Malta at Glasgow '11 World Championships

2011-11-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

Scotstoun Stadium was the venue for the 2011 World Championships organised by the WDFPF on the 12th and 13th of November. The Maltese athletes participating in this event were number one ranked Mario Mifsud, current overall and -75kg category National Champion Charles Degiorgio, two time -90kg category National Champion Kris Mintoff and Master 5 lifter Francis Spiteri. Accompanying the group was Pierre Borg who helped the team with the videography of the lifts.

First lifter to hit the platform on Saturday the 12th was Charles Degiorgio (above). He easily squatted 180kgs in his first attempt squat but was denied the lift by the referees due to the lift not being deep enough. Degiorgio repeated on his second attempt, this time leaving no doubt that the lift was legitimate. Three white lights for a 180kg squat attempt. His third at 197.5kg was again denied due to depth issues. However the lift looked strong enough and Degiorgio will surely nail 200kgs in the very near future. Next he went on to perform three good attempts in the bench, finishing with a 117.5kg lift. Next came a first and second perfect attempts in the deadlift, the second one at 235kgs. His third attempt at 235kgs was disallowed by the referees despite the fact that Degiorgio managed to lock it out. This 527.5 kg total earned him 3rd place in a 17 man strong division. This augurs very well for our National Champion and his perseverance and determination is sure to take him to the top in the future.

Next to compete was Francis Spiteri (above), who at 62 years young managed to improve his total by 12.5kgs in under 3 months. He succesfully performed a 142.5kg squat, a 70kg bench and a 180kg deadlift. His weight category was the -82.5kg, and the European and World records in this weight division and age group in the deadlift is just 20kg more than Francis' last attempt. For Spiteri it was his first international appearance and he has a bright future ahead, considering that he has just started in this sport and he is still making huge jumps in his lifts from one competition to the next. He looks set to challenge for the World and European records in the deadlift, and had he not been denied a 147.5kg 3rd attempt in the squat, he would have been crowned World Champ in the M5 -82.5kg division. As it was, he had to settle for 2nd place.

Next up was Mario Mifsud (above) who was continually chasing 10 times world champion Pete Sutton for first place in the -125kg division. Sutton usually competes in the -145kg division, but this year he trimmed down to 123kgs to challenge for the -125kg crown. Sutton squatted 260kg with Mifsud at his heels with a 250kg squat. Next up was the bench with the Englishman pressing 205kgs. Mifsud settled for a 177.5kg lift. Next came the deadlift, Mifsud's strongest lift and Sutton's weakest. The latter managed to pull 307.5kg while Mifsud pulled a World Record 326kg, improving his own World Record by a kilo, which he had already broken two years previously in Milton Keynes. This was a 10 man strong division and second place is very encouraging for Mifsud. Besides, he was beaten by a 10 time World Champion who a 40 years of age is in his peak in strength, while Mifsud at 28 years of age has at least a decade and a half at his disposition to make himself stronger.

Next day it was the equipped division competition. Kris Mintoff was competing for the first time internationally in this division. He started a bit disadvantaged since he contracted a virus the day before which forced him to refrain from any food whatsoever and cost him to loose too much weight quickly in the last 24 hours. Besides the effect on strength that it had it made his equipment fit too loose, thus being of hardly any help during the lifts. However, Mintoff decided to compete for the sake of getting experience in this division, which he did. He started with low first attempts and went on to lift 9 out of 9, getting three white lights on each of his nine attempts. He finished with a 640kg total, 235kgs in the squat, 150 in the bench and 255 in the deadlift. This earned him 3rd place in the -90kg division, and he is sure to build up on the performance and improve on his lifts and his knowledge with equipment in the future.

It was a positive experience for all 4 lifters, and one which will motovate them to try even harder to get stronger and improve their totals to challenge and bring home more honours.

“King” Charles Degiorgio Crowned Champ

2011-05-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's MDFPA National Championships at Noble Gym in Sliema lived up to all expectations by thrilling and entertaining all those present. The 4th edition of the National Championships saw a new king crowned after defending National Champion and former World Champion Mario Mifsud failed to complete a total. “King” Charles Degiorgio snatched the coveted title by executing a solid game plan and exhibiting some awesome raw power.

The 2011 Championships kicked off in the morning show with the 75kg class. Five lifters battled it out for the title, while three lifters opted for the Bench Press-only competition. Edward Attard put some pressure on with a classy 120kg press, only to be matched by Daniel Debono (below) who took the best Bench Press title by virtue of lighter bodyweight. Debono also made two failed attempts at 125.5kgs in his efforts to break the National Record, however it doesn't look like long before he will pocket himself a second National Record to add to his -67.5kg class Deadlift of 202.5kgs. Malta's best female lifter Mariel Incorvaja also opted for a Bench Press-only and bagged a respectable 57.5kg lift.

After battling injuries for over a year and having to contend with a very short preparation period for this event, Sean Galea unfortunately failed to complete a total by bombing out of the Bench Press competition with three failed attempts at 120kgs. In fourth place in the -75kg class with a 412.5kg total and 279.6 points was Antonio Flores. Flores is now 2nd in the 2nd Division National Rankings. Nudging passed in 3rd place was Neil Micallef with a 422.5kg total and 284.3 points. Micallef now leads the 2nd Division in the National Rankings. In second place came the mysterious newcomer Mark Briffa, staging an excellent performance in his first ever appearance on the local platform. He lifted 175, 115, and 200kgs in the Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift respectively for a final total of 490kgs for 341.6 points. Briffa slots in at a respectable 7th place in the Premier League National Rankings. Winner of the overall -75kg title was Charles Degiorgio himself (below). He squatted 185kgs before narrowly missing his attempt at a new National Record of 192.5kgs. He benched 110kgs and Deadlifted true to form with a dramatic 225kg pull to end his campaign in style.

The evening show saw the big men step forward to contest the heavyweight divisions, starting with the -82.5's. At 63 years of age, Francis Spiteri gave a great show in Squatting 130kgs, Benching 65kgs, and Deadlifting a convincing 170kgs for a total of 365kgs and 233.4 points. Spiteri is now 2nd in the 3rd Division National Rankings. Coming up 3rd in the -82.5kg class was Adrian Cauchi, a lifter who made his debut at last years Nationals. He lifted 160/120/200 for a total of 480kgs and 299.8 points and jumps up the National Rankings into a respectable 7th place in the 1st Division.

The best Bench Press title in this class was fiercely contended between 17 year old prodigy Mark Formosa and Alex Dolgopolyk (above). Before the competition, the National Bench Press record stood at 133kgs and was held by Jovan Reljic. Formosa began the record breaking run with a successful 133.5kg lift. His tenure as National Record holder however was shortlived, as Dolgopolyk stepped up to the bench delivering a powerful 135kg response. Formosa fought back with a valiant struggle against 135.5kgs however it wasn't to be. He Squatted and Deadlifted 170 and 205kgs respectively for a final total of 507.5kgs and 318.7 points and is now ranked 4th in the 1st Division. Alex Dolgopolyk ended his day as the -82.5 National Champion with his final tally of 185/135/220 for a final total of 540kgs and 340.3 points.

The -90kg class also saw some drama with premier lifters Kris Mintoff (above) and Josef Spiteri battling for the limelight. In 4th place in the -90kg class was newcomer James Formosa with a promising performance of 115/105/160 for a total of 380 and 225.9 points. Chris Schinas from Noble Gym took 3rd place honours with his 150/107.5/180 campaign for a final total of 437.5kgs and 267.3 points. Josef Spiteri squatted 165kgs before performing some of his signature benching, opening on 140kgs but sadly missing two attempts at 147.5kgs. He Deadlifted 210kgs for a final total of 515kgs and 303.9 points. Defending 90kg Champion Kris Mintoff again took honours after finishing 4th in the same class at the European Championships in Bournemouth last month. He squatted true to form with a successful 210kg attempt, Benched 125, and opened his Deadlifts with an easy 240kgs. He has had his eye on the -90kg National Deadlift Record of 255kgs for some time now, and had two attempts at 255.5kgs however couldn't quite finish the pull on both occasions. It's only a matter of time before he nails it and conquers his second National Record.

Lifting solo in the 100kg class was Cleaven Cutajar who sadly could not complete a total after missing all three of his 210kg Deadlifts. Cutajar will no doubt come back stronger from this experience. The greatest upset of the competition however was defending Champion Mario Mifsud's (above) performance in the 125kg class. The former World Champion and defending National Champion for three years running squatted 235kgs before missing all three of his opening attempts at the Bench Press with 170kgs. Normally an easy press, the big man was clearly having a bad day. He ended his appearance by offering a token 300kg Deadlift to the delight of the crowd.

A big thanks goes out to WDFPF President Wim Backelant and his wife Karen for coming over to Malta to oversee this event. The MDFPA would also like to thank Marvin Cilia, George Bonanno, Sean Galea and Daniel Debono for spotting and loading, as well as the staff at Noble Gym for their assistance. Noble Gym continues to closely support the MDFPA by hosting most local events at no cost to the Association. The MDFPA also thanks Holland & Barrett and Playmobil for their support.

The final standings were as follows:

1. Charles Degiorgio, 353.9
2. Mark Briffa, 341.6
3. Alex Dolgopolyk, 340.3
4. Kris Mintoff, 338.4
5. Mark Formosa, 318.7
6. Josef Spiteri, 303.9
7. Adrian Cauchi, 299.8
8. Neil Micallef, 284.3
9. Antonio Flores, 279.8
10. Chris Schinas, 267.3
11. Francis Spiteri, 233.4
12. James Formosa, 225.8
13. Daniel Debono, BPO
14. Edward Attard, BPO
15. Mariel Incorvaja, BPO
16. Mario Mifsud, DNF
17. Sean Galea, DNF
18. Cleaven Cutajar, DNF

DNF = Did Not Finish
BPO = Bench Press Only

2011 Nationals less than a fortnight away

2011-05-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

The 2011 MDFPA National Championships will take place at Noble Gym, Sliema, on the 22nd of May. WDFPF President Wim Backelant will be in attendance.

Weighing in will be conducted from 1000 to 1130. Flight one will consist of the -75kg class exclusively, and will lift off at 1200. Flight two will consist of all lifters in the 82.5kg class and heavier.

The entry fees for the competition will be 25 Euros each lifter, which includes membership to the MDFPA for a year and the drug testing fee. Entrance for spectators is FREE. All lifters are reminded to wear the proper attire which includes a singlet for all three lifts, with a cotton T shirt underneath for Squat and Bench Press. Knee high socks must be worn for the Deadlift.

Trophies will be awarded to the best three lifters overall on (Schwartz) points. The winner of each weight class will also receive a medal, as will the lifter with the best Bench Press in each class.

Here follows the official starting line up:

FLIGHT ONE

-75kg
Charles Degiorgio
Sean Galea
Herman Mula
Antonio Flores
Neil Micallef
Mark Briffa
Matthew Gera
Daniel Debono (Bench Only)
Edward Attard (Bench Only)

FLIGHT TWO

-82.5kg
Aleksandr Dolgopolyk
Mark Formosa
Adrian Cauchi
Francis Spiteri

-90kg
Kris Mintoff
Chris Schinas
James Formosa

-100kg
Cleaven Cutajar

-125kg
Mario Mifsud

2011 March Test

2011-03-20T03:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Noble Gym hosted the MDFPA March test competition as part of the MDFPA's commitment to organize a competition every month in 2011.

Matthew Muscat Inglott opted for the squat and bench only, breaking his own National Record Squat in the -100kg class raising the mark from 230kgs to 232.5kgs. He also tried to break his own Bench Press record of 157.5kgs with two failed attempts at 160kgs. Kris Mintoff registered the first ever equipped performance in a local MDFPA competition, and opens the official equipped National Rankings with 356.8 points. He lifted 220/150/250 for a final total of 620kgs.

Enrolled in the full power competition and challenging for full unequipped totals were Marvin Cilia, Daniel Grima, Cleaven Cutajar, Francis Spiteri making his full powerlifting debut, and the surprise newcomer Mark Formosa, registering an impressive 313.1 points in his first ever appearance on the local platform. At just 17 years of age, the powerful young 82.5kg class lifter is sure to set the MDFPA rankings on fire over the coming years. He slots in the 1st Division in 4th place.

The final results of the unequipped competition were as follows;

1. Marvin Cilia, 324 points
2. Mark Formosa, 313.1 points
3. Daniel Grima, 291.5 points
4. Cleaven Cutajar, 257.1 points
5. Francis Spiteri, 217.9 points

Heavy Metal take 2011 Team Championship

2011-02-25T03:32:00.000-08:00

Noble Gym was a hive of activity as the MDFPA Team Championships proved a mighty spectacle for all. Heavy Metal are once again Malta's strongest team, with this year's line up of Mario Mifsud, Marin Cilia and Daniel Grima reigning supreme.

Kris Mintoff's Iron Gladiators came in second with the help of Herman Mula and Cleaven Cutajar. Noble Gym just etched passed Z-Power for third place, with both teams unfortunately missing out on a full team total. As we've seen in previous editions of the team championships, teamwork is absolutely imperative for success, with consistency winning over individual prowess.

Z-Power's Nigel McCarthy unfortunately had to pull out at the last minute due to injury, and Noble Gym's Chris Stellini could not complete a total, although showing great promise in the Squat and Bench Press. The only newcomer to achieve a full total was Neil Micallef (above) of Z-Power. He weighed in under 75kgs and went on to lift 130/75/170 for a 375kg total and 250.5 points. Micallef therefore slots in the all-time rankings in 8th place in the 2nd division, and 10th overall in the 2011 National League.

Iron Gladiator's latest recruit Cleaven Cutajar (above) continued to up his game by lifting 150/95/220 in the 100kg class for a 465kg total and 261.9 points. He rises to 3rd place in the 2nd division, and 9th place in the National League.

Z-Power captain and 75kg class lifter Antonio Flores lifted 140/75/185 for a 400kg total and 270.3 points. He rises to 2nd place in the 2nd Division, and establishes himself in 8th place for the league. Noble Gym's own Chris Schinas (below) weighed in comfortably for the 90kg class, and lifted 150/107.5/200 for a 457.5kg total and 273.5 points. He is now 9th in the 1st Division and 7th in the league.

Heavy Metal's latest recruit Daniel Grima (below) weighed in at 68kgs, just a little too heavy for the 67.5kg class, and staged his return to the platform for the first time in over three years when he lifted 125/97.5/160 for a 382.5kg total and 275.8 points. He is now ranked 7th in the 1st Division, and 6th in the league.

Marvin Cilia (below), lifting out of Challenger gym but flying the Heavy Metal flag, opened with some fine squatting in the 110kg class with a double bodyweight lift of 220kgs. He benched 150kgs and deadlifted 220kgs for a total of 585kgs for a little under par points tally of 317.2. But that's all he needed. He remains one of Malta's premier lifters and slots in the National League in 5th position.

Iron Gladiator's lifter Herman Mula (below) did well to weigh in under 75kgs, which may prove the ideal category for him. Still just a whisker from breaking into the premier league, Mula squatted 170kgs, benched his first attempt of 107.5kgs and deadlifted his first attempt at 200kgs. His subsequent attempts on the bench and deadlift proved a tad too far, however settling into his new weight class is bound to give him some teething problems. With this experience under his belt, he looks set to break out of the 1st Division in his next outing to the platform. He still occupies 4th place in the league.

Third overall on points was Iron Gladiators captain, National Record holder in the 90kg class Squat, and third place finisher at last year's WDFPF World's, Kris Mintoff (below). He weighed in at 92kgs, a little heavy for his class but posting heavier lifts throughout the season should help give him the edge he needs at this year's World's in Scotland. He opened his assault with an impressive 212.5kg squat, which means he looks set to break his own -90kg National squat record this year if he can repeat this performance at a slightly lighter bodyweight. He went on to bench 125kgs and end the day with another PR; a 252.5kg deadlift. He totalled 592.5kg for 341 points which means he stays 6th in the premier league, and rises to 3rd place in the National League.

In second place overall on points came Noble Gym captain Matthew Muscat Inglott (below), who registered the performance of a lifetime by breaking his best ever points which he set over three years ago at a much lighter bodyweight of 77kgs. He weighed in dead on 100kgs and cleaned up all his own National records in the -100kg class. He began his record breaking campaign with a 230kg squat, ten kgs over the mark, and a 157.5kg benchpress, just 2.5kgs over his previous record. The ink on the record books from his 270kg deadlift record performed last month had barely dried when he ended his day with a 275kg deadlift. His final total of 662.5kgs was also a National record, earning him 367 points, keeping him 2nd in the premier Division and 2nd in the league.

Once again establishing himself as one of the greatest drug-free powerlifters around, Malta's strongest man and former WDFPF World Champion Mario Mifsud (below) posted a truly magnificent performance, just a little shy of his best ever. Lifting out of his own Heavy Metal gym, Mifsud squatted a conservative 240kgs, and a powerful 180kg bench press. With a lot left in the tank, he went on to open on a 300kg deadlift, and finish off with a 315kg pull, just 10kgs short of his World record set in Milton Keynes, UK, in 2009. This makes his 315kg the heaviest pull ever performed on Maltese soil. With a little more preparation this year, we could very well see this deadlift monster perform the heaviest deadlift ever performed in the WDFPF.

Here follow the official results:

TEAM

Heavy Metal - 980.8
Iron Gladiators - 920.86
Noble Gym - 640.52
Z-Power - 520.81

INDIVIDUAL

Mario Mifsud, 387.8 (Heavy Metal)
Matthew Muscat Inglott, 367 (Noble Gym)
Kris Mintoff, 341 (Iron Gladiators)
Herman Mula, 318 (Iron Gladiators)
Marvin Cilia, 317.2 (Heavy Metal)
Daniel Grima, 275.8 (Heavy Metal)
Chris Schinas, 273.5 (Noble Gym)
Antonio Flores, 270.3 (Z-Power)
Cleaven Cutajar, 261.9 (Iron Gladiators)
Neil Micallef, 250.5 (Z-Power)

A special thanks goes out to Nikolai Borg, Adelia Saliba, Sean Galea, Charles Degiorgio, Simon Xuereb and Aleksandr Dolgopolyk for running and officiating the event. Also, a big thanks to Noble Gym for hosting, and Holland & Barrett as the main sponsors.

Local Powerlifters gear up for the 2011 Team Championships

2011-02-12T05:06:00.000-08:00

This year's MDFPA Team Championships will be held at Noble Gym in Sliema on Saturday February 19 at 4:30pm (weigh in from 2:30pm) with Holland & Barrett as the main sponsors. Four teams will be challenging for the team title shield.

The defending Champions Mario Mifsud's Heavy Metal will this year feature Marvin Cilia and Jonathan Galea. The combination of Mifsud (above) and Cilia will be hard to beat, and Galea has been quietly preparing in ernest, so it is unclear where the 2nd Division lifter will take his Schwartz points this year under the watchful eye of his Premier division team mates. Former World Champion Mario Mifsud has not lifted for nearly a year, and February 19 will mark his comeback, so we can only guess what numbers the beast from Birkirkara will be putting up.

Main challengers for the title this year are expected be Kris Mintoff's Iron Gladiators. The Mintoff/Mula partnership holds firm as Herman Mula has diligently upped his game since last season, and enlisted the services of new lifter Cleaven Cutajar who currently ranks in the 2nd Division. Mintoff (above) is now well established as one of Malta's premier lifters, while Mula is a whisker away from breaking into the Premier Division. If he can up the ante again with his total on the 19th, the Iron Gladiators might just cause some serious problems for team Heavy Metal.

Also in the running is Matthew Muscat Inglott's up and coming Noble Gym Team. Muscat Inglott (above) will be calling on 1st Division lifters Kurt Bullock and Chris Schinas, with the brand new Chris Stellini also onboard to make his first ever appearance on the local platform. Bullock has been plagued by injury over the last year, so his appearance is unfortunately still not confirmed, but if he can turn up on form, the hosts Noble Gym could yet surprise the Iron Gladiators and Team Heavy Metal.

Another new team challenging for the honours this year is 2nd Division lifter Antonio Flores's Z-Power. Flores (above) will be teaming up with unranked lifters Neil Micallef and Nigel McCarthy, who will represent the wild cards of the event. Only time will tell where Micallef and McCarthy will slot in to the National Rankings. The mysterious Z-Power team nevertheless appears primed to make a strong debut.

January Test kicks off 2011

2011-02-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

Maltese Powerlifting in 2011 kicked off in style at Noble Gym last Saturday during the January 22nd Test. Exhibiting a sneak preview of things to come, most of the lifters chose to cruise through an easy competition, merely testing the waters before next months' team championships.

Marvin Cilia (above) entered the Squat event exclusively, demonstrating an easy 212.5kg lift on his specialist move. He has the 110kg class National Record in his sights this year that stands at 241kgs. Considering the master squatter ended his 2010 campaign on 230kgs, it seems this might just be his year.

Cilia's teammate from Challenger in Cottonera, Francis Spiteri turned up to Deadlift in the Masters 5 category. At 62 years of age, this man truly impressed all with a 165kg deadlift, and shows promise iternationally in his age category if he completes a full meet to earn a full total.

Participating in all three events and earning his first official total, Cleaven Cutajar (above) made his debut with a 135kg Squat, 95kg Bench Press and 210kg Deadlift in the 100kg weight class. He slots in the National Rankings in 7th place of the 2nd Division with 250.7 points. We will be seeing a lot more from this keen new lifter over the coming months.

National Record holder in the 90kg class Squat, Kris Mintoff (above) chose to stay in low gear, taking this meet as a training session, cautiously starting his assault on 2011. After a great show coming third in the World Championship 90kg class last year, Mintoff weighed in just over 90kgs and posted a 175kg squat, 122.5kg bench press, and 230kg deadlift getting nine out of nine, and totaling 527.5kgs in easy form.

Herman Mula (above) continued to show consistency and dilligence in his lifting, nearly equalling his best points performance at last year's World Championships. Tipping the scales at a lean 76.6kgs, it is unclear whether he will stay in the 82.5kg category or drop into the 75's this year, but wherever he sets his sights, a 172.5kg squat, 110kg bench press and 210 deadlift is certainly a great place to start. It looks like the Mula/Mintoff partership will hold strong for next month's team championships, but who will they enroll as the third member of team Iron Gladiators?

Matthew Muscat Inglott (above) staged his return to the platform, donning a singlet for the first time in nearly ten months. He weighed in a tad under 100kgs and made a cautious start with a 200kg squat in his second attempt, and forfeiting his third. He benched 5kgs shy of last year's best with a 150kg press, and shifted to top gear for the deadlift by smashing his previous best by 10kgs and setting the only new National Record of the day, a 270kg deadlift in the 100kg class.

The referees at this event were MDFPA President Nikolai Borg, Charles Degiorgio, and Edward Attard.

MDFPA finds new home at Noble Gym

2010-11-29T02:12:00.001-08:00

Malta's first Powerlifting-friendly Gym is now open at Level 3, House of Grace, Sliema. Noble Gym is the MDFPA's newest training centre, offering special performance-related discounts for competitive powerlifters totaling over 300 Schwartz points.

Among the standard gym equipment and barbells are two competition bench presses, one competition squat rack, one power cage, two Texas power bars and over 500kgs of calibrated Eleiko plates.

The Noble Gym coaching staff includes:

Nationally Ranked No. 2 Powerlifter, National Champion in the -100kg Class, holder of 10 National Records, and World Champion at the 2008 Single Event Championships in the Deadlift; Matthew Muscat Inglott (above).

Nationally Ranked No. 6 Powerlifter, National Champion in the -90kg Class, and holder of the Squat National Record in the -90kg Class; Kristian Mintoff.

Holder of the Bench Press National Record in the -82.5kg Class; Jovan Reljic.

Regular test competitions will be held at this new venue, with a provisional programme for the coming 2011 season as follows:

JANUARY TEST: Saturday 22nd January, 2011, Noble Gym.

FEBRUARY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, VENUE TBC.

MARCH TEST: Saturday 19th March, 2011, Noble Gym.

APRIL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (& Qualifiers for the 2011 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS), VENUE TBC.

MAY TEST: Saturday 28th May, 2011, Noble Gym.

JULY TEST: Saturday 9th July, 2011, Noble Gym.

AUGUST TEST: Saturday 6th August, 2011, Noble Gym.

SEPTEMBER TEST: Saturday 3rd September, 2011, Noble Gym.

OCTOBER TEST & Qualifiers for the 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Saturday 15th October, 2011, Noble Gym.

Like the Noble Gym Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sliema-Malta/Noble-Gym/161698373864609 for updates and fitness articles. The official Noble Gym website can be accessed at http://www.noblegymmalta.com

Team Malta at 2010 Worlds

2010-11-25T04:47:00.000-08:00

Castleblaney, Republic of Ireland, was host to the WDFPF World Full Power Championships, on the 13th of November. Charles Degiorgio, Herman Mula, Josef Spiteri and Kris Mintoff were the athletes who made the trip from Malta to represent the MDFPA in Ireland this year. For Degiorgio and Mintoff, this was the second consecutive appearance in the Worlds. Mula and Spiteri, after having participated internationally for the first time in the European Single Lifts held in Malta in October, decided to make the trip to add another international event to their lifting CV.

The setup for this event was excellent as usual. The meet was held at the Iontas Centre, a modern building in Castleblaney, a small town in County Monaghan. Lifters from various countries across the world including the US, Canada, Australia, Russia, England, Scotland, the Republic and Northern Ireland, The Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Croatia, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, France, Cyprus and Estonia flew over to challenge for the honours.

The first Maltese lifter to make his way to the platform was Charles Degiorgio (above & below), who was competing in the under 75kg category. The multiple category National Champ squatted an easy 165kg opener before succesfully earning a 180kg squat on his second attempt. He failed his last attempt at 182.5kg. Degiorgio went on to bench press 110kg in his opening attempt in the bench, however failed his second and third attempts at 120kg. The same happened in the deadlift. He explosively ripped a 220kg barbell off the floor in his first attempt, however failed his second and third attempts with a 230kg load.

Thus he earned a 510kg total which at 71.9kg bodyweight earned him 250.6 Shwartz points, less than a point shy of his personal best 15 months ago. This total even earned him an encouraging fourth place in the under 75kg category. With a little more strategical planning and physical peaking, Degiorgio can easily be in contention for the 75kg crown next year.

Next up was Herman Mula (above), who contested the under 82.5kg category. For this lifter it was three out of three in both the squat and deadlift. He earned a 170kg squat on his last attempt and a very easy looking 215kg deadlift on his third attempt. He struggled in the bench press managing a 115kg opener but failing his second and third attempts at 117.5kg on technicalities. He managed to lock out the 117.5kg twice but was denied the lift on both occasions by a very strict judging panel. Once he rediscovers his form on the bench and starts deadlifting closer to his max in the deadlift, this lifter will break into the top ten on the local rankings easily. In fact this performance put him in 12th place in the national rankings, up two spots from his previous placing. The 500kg total earned him 11th place in the 16 man strong category, a category which was extremely tough, considering the high number of top-level lifters lifting in this group.

The under 90kg category saw two Maltese lifters challenging for the honours. For Josef Spiteri (above) it was an excellent performance. He squatted 182.5kg very smoothly in his final attempt before putting in a herculean effort in the bench press to lift 150kg. This was the strongest bench in the under 90kg category. He added a 220kg deadlift to his total to finish with 552.5kg, earning 6th place in the category and climbing up to 9th place on the National Rankings.

The other lifter in this category was Kris Mintoff (above & below), who after struggling with his bodyweight for weeks managed to weigh -in at 88.3kg. Mintoff, who was coming back from a knee injury, squatted 180kg, 195kg and 205kg. Then he bench pressed 117.5kg and 122.5kg before failing his third attempt at 127.5kg. He then successfully deadlifted all his three attempts finishing with a 247.5kg deadlift and a 575kg total, earning him third place in the 90kg category. The result, though a personal best did not earn this lifter a higher place in the National Rankings since he still trails Emanuel Schembri's best performance by 1.1 Shwartz Points.

It was a great experience for all 4 lifters, and a chance to prove on the platform that the local level of Powerlifting compared to the rest of the World is on the increase. Last year Mario Mifsud became the first Maltese lifter to earn World Champion status, but with these kind of performances, another Maltese World Champion is not too far away.

The results in more detail can be accessed on http://www.idfpa.plus.com/2010%20World%20PL%20day%201.pdf

Noble Gym Powerliting Challenge

2010-10-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

Noble Gym at House of Grace in Sliema yesterday hosted the MDFPA for an exciting afternoon of test lifting ahead of the 2010 World Championships in Ireland next month.

90kg class lifter Cleaven Cutajar (above) made his competitive debut by competing solely in the Deadlift event. He lifted an impressive 190kgs only to have his third attempt at 205kgs turned down due to technicalities. With a little fine tuning this lifter could go a long way.

MDFPA President Nikolai Borg (above) made a token appearance by squatting 100kgs and benching 105kgs in the 75kg class, marking his comeback for 2011.

The most exciting newcomer of the day was the powerful 82.5kg class lifter Jovan Reljic (above). He chose to participate in the Bench Press only this time before attempting to compete for a full total. In his first ever appearance on the competitive platform he broke Matthew Muscat Inglott's three-year-old National Bench Press record in the 82.5kg class with a convincing 133kgs. No doubt Reljic will soon be challenging for a top spot on the rankings.

Charles Degiorgio (above) turned up for a practice run before he lifts in Ireland next month. He began with a 180kg squat and did not total after starting a little too heavy in the bench press to take any risks this close to the World Championships. He will be fine tuning his strategy over the coming weeks so he can nail a top class performance in Ireland. When this lifter gets it right, national records fall like rain.

In third place achieving a full total was the ferocious Josef Spiteri (above) from Fitness Planet. Lifting in the 90kg Category he squatted 180kgs, benched true to form with a 150kg bench press, and finished off with a 210kg deadlift and a 540kg total and 317.35 points. Spiteri will also be forming part of the Malta team in Ireland next month.

In second place was Herman Mula (above), who turned up determined to qualify for the World Chapionships and that's just what he did. He needed a 490kg total to qualify for the 82.5kg class, and posted 495kgs just to be sure. He squatted 170, benched 117.5, and deadlifted 207.5kgs for 317.69 points. He will now be joining team Malta in Ireland.

Marvin Cilia (above) took the competition overall in his usual good form. He squatted a picture perfect 230kgs in the 110kg class, benched 152.5kgs and deadlifted 232.5kgs for a final total of 615kgs for 334.74 points. He has his eye on Emanuel Schembri's National squat record of 241kgs and if he keeps lifting the way he is, he looks certain to break it soon.

Matthew Muscat Inglott, Adelia Saliba and Kris Mintoff refereed, and a big thanks goes out to Alexsandr Dolgopoyk and George Bonanno for spotting and loading throughout the competition.

2010 European Single-Event Championships

2010-10-10T03:57:00.000-07:00

The MDFPA organized its first ever international event here in Malta last weekend at the Preluna Hotel in Sliema over the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of October, the 2010 European Single-Event Championships. Over 180 of Europe’s strongest drug-free athletes were present.

The first athlete representing Malta on Day one faced off with Italy’s Davide Ambrosino in the 82.5kg category squat. Aleksandr Dolgopolyk took the honours with a classy 195kg squat, breaking the -82.5kg Malta National Squat Record previously held by Matthew Muscat Inglott, by a convincing 5kgs.

Mariel Incorvaja faced off against England’s Gabrielle Bennet in the women’s -90kg class but couldn’t quite catch up with her 102.5kg squat. Marvin Cilia registered some fine squatting as always in the 110kg class with a 227.5kg lift. The best Unequipped Squatter of the Championship was Alexey Kashirin from Russia with his 270kg lift, also in the -110kg class.

Saturday saw the big numbers turn out for the Bench Press. Europe’s strongest benchers battled it out in style on the sunny veranda of the Preluna Meridien Centre. Herman Mula stepped onto the platform first for Malta. One of 19 benchers in the -82.5kg class, he pressed 120kgs. England’s Pawel Kramer took that category with a 175kg press.

Next up was Josef Spiteri in the -90kg class, also showcasing 19 lifters. Spiteri broke his own Malta National Bench Press Record in his weight class with a 150kg press, positioning him 9th among a tough field of bench press specialists. Igor Ivanchenko from Ukraine won the class with a 187.5kg press.

The best unequipped bencher of the day was Alistair Murdoch from England with a 212.5kg press, which he performed during a thrilling battle in the 110kg class with Roland Gongarad from Switzerland and Alexey Kashirin from Russia. All three men benched over 200kgs in their attempts to win their category.

On the final day of the championships, the preluna hotel shook as the deadlift specialists took to the platform. Malta’s offerings of the day were George Bonanno and Charles Degiorgio both lifting in the -75kg class. George Bonanno lifted 185kgs, and of the seven athletes in the category, Degiorgio did us proud by lifting his way to the top with a fine 230kg lift. A European deadlift title will satisfy this lifters hunger only momentarily, as he now sets his sights on the full three-lift powerlifting World Championships in Ireland next month.

The championship organizers were Nikolai Borg, Kris Mintoff and Matthew Muscat Inglott. The MDFPA would like to extend a warm thanks to the Preluna Hotel, Feelgood Wellness Spa, and Noble Gym for making the Championships possible.

2010 MDFPA Nationals: The Next Level

2010-05-17T02:28:00.000-07:00

It was an incredible day of lifting yesterday in Naxxar as Mario Mifsud won his third successive title as king of local Powerlifting. The third edition of the MDFPA National Championships kicked off with the lightweight categories battling it out in the first session of the day.

Mariel Incorvaja from Heay Metal is still unchallenged as Malta's permier female lifter with her final total of 290kgs. Raw Power lifter Daniel Debono (below) once again established himself as Malta's premier 67.5kg lifter with a 457.5kg total, breaking Sean Galeas three-year-old Deadlift record in the process, raising the bar from 200 to 202.5kgs.

In the 75kg class Sean Galea (below) from Team Savage took the top honours with his 500kg total, easing passed Edward Attard and Antonio Flores. Charles Degiorgio out of Fitness Planet lifted a total of 510kgs to take the 82.5kg class, leaving challengers Kurt Bullock, Herman Mula and Chis Schinas with little chance.

Things heated up in the second session which saw the heavyweights step forward for some awesome lifting. As expected, the 90kg category saw some fierce competition between the two favourites Kristian Mintoff (below) from Iron Gladiators and Josef Spiteri from Fitness Planet, leaving newcomer Adrian Cauchi, Jonathan Galea frm Bertu's Gym, and also making his debut Matthew Cini Sarreo to watch from the sidelines. Mintoff took the lead early with some epic squatting, going on to break Matthew Muscat Inglott's National record of 205kgs in his fourth attempt, showing great spirit in conquering 207.5kgs. The next record to fall was the 90kg Bench Press mark of 145kgs also held by Matthew Muscat Inglott. Spiteri broke it with a smooth 147.5kgs, and narrowly missed out on breaking his own record again with a near miss at 150kgs in his third attempt. Mintoff went on to seal his victory with a final total of 572.5kgs.

Lifting solo in their categories, Matthew Muscat Inglott (below), Marvin Cilia and World Champion Mario Mifsud entertained the crowd with some classy performances. Lifting out of Team Savage in the 100kg class, Muscat Inglott started his campaign by breaking his own National Squat record of 212.5kgs, with a convincing 220kg lift. Next came Josef Spiteri's 152.5kg Bench Press record which Muscat Inglott raised to 155kgs thanks to some spirited support from the crowd. He also went on to raise the Deadlift and Total records from 250 and 605kgs to 260 and 635kgs. Marvin Cilia from Challenger in Cottonera took the 110kg honours with a 220kg Squat, 142.5kg press and 232.5kg Deadlift for a total of 595kgs.

World Champion in the 125kg class Mario Mifsud from Heavy Metal started his day on a roll, finishing his squats with a National Record fourth attempt of 250kgs, breaking his own previous record by 10kgs. Mifsud pressed a token 180kgs in the bench press before lifting only 5kgs shy of his own World record in the Deadlift, ending the day with a 320kg haul and a new national record total of 750kgs. In posting such massive totals it seems the next goal in the big man's mind might possibly be the World Total record next November in Ireland.

Third overall on points, just about edging passed Sean Galea, was Kristian Mintoff with 338.1 points, jumping to number six on the National Rankings. Matthew Muscat Inglott came in second with 353 points. First overall and once again Malta National Powerlifting Champion Mario Mifsud secured 392.8 points. Here follow the overall results on points;

1, Mario Mifsud, 392.8
2, Matthew Muscat Inglott, 353
3, Kristian Mintoff, 338.1
4, Sean Galea, 337.6
5, Daniel Debono, 335.7
6, Marvin Cilia, 325.2
7, Charles Degiorgio, 322.3
8, Josef Spiteri, 318.6
9, Edward Attard, 308.2
10, Kurt Bullock, 305.6
11, Herman Mula, 304.2
12, George Bonanno, 288.9
13, Adrian Cauchi, 274.6
14, Antonio Flores, 262.9
15, Chris Schinas, 260.7
16, Jonathan Galea, 252.2
17, Matthew Cini Sarreo, 182.2

MDFPA President Nikolai Borg, and referees Adelia Saliba and Adrian Debattista officiated the event. A special thanks goes out to the sponsors Feelgood Wellness Spa, Preluna Hotel and Holland & Barret. The next big ticket on the local calendar will most likely happen in late August, with a smaller test competition possibly in July. Check out the National Rankings and National Records for updates.

2010 National Championships: The Reckoning

2010-05-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

It looks like all the entries are in, and we're set for an awe-inspiring day of lifting at the Higher Secondary Sports Hall in Naxxar on May 15. This promises to be an unforgettable spectacle of muscle and might. The final confirmed schedule is as follows:

0700hrs Weigh-in ALL CATEGORIES
0900hrs Lift Off LIGHTWEIGHTS (all class up to 82.5kgs)
1200hrs Lift Off HEAVYWEIGHTS (90kgs and above)

The 67.5kg class will see Daniel Debono (above) face off against MDFPA president Nikolai Borg. This will be Borg's first full competition in three years and with his awesome benching capabilities he looks set to break Andrew Farrugia's national bench record and give specialist Deadlifter Daniel Debono a run for his money for the overall crown in this category.

In the 75's Team Savage lifter Sean Galea (above) will take on ex-team mate Raw Power's Edward Attard and newcomer Antonio Flores. Galea is looking highly polished these days and Attard will have his hands full keeping up with the veteran lifter. Both athletes have international experience and when it comes to the day of the competition all experienced lifters know that anything can happen!

In the 82.5kg class George Bonanno will be making his comeback to the competitive platform after bursting onto the scene early last year showing great promise. Nobody knows what the young man can lift right now, so category favourite Kurt Bullock (above) cannot take anything for granted. Also challenging for the 82.5kg title will be Herman Mula from Kristian Mintoff's Iron Gladiators team lifting out of Bertu's gym in Gharghur.

The 90kg class will see the largest ever group of athletes battling it out for the category title. Chris Schinas will be making his comeback after bulking up from the 67.5kg class, although we might yet see him opt to cut down for the 82.5kg class instead. Two newcomers will be looking to make there mark and deliver some awkward surprises for the more experienced lifters; Adrian Cauchi and Matthew Cini Sarreo. The drama in this class however promises to be a face off between Fitness Planet's Josef Spiteri and category favourite Iron Gladiators team captain Kristian Mintoff (above). Both men are bursting with power, and are more than capable of breaking some National records. Matthew Muscat Inglott currently holds all the records in this class however Mintoff has his eye on the squat and deadlift record, while Spiteri is poised to take the bench press.

In the 100+ categories we will see Matthew Muscat Inglott, Marvin Cilia and World Champion Mario Mifsud (above) move the biggest poundages of the day with all three athletes set to win their categories by default. Muscat Inglott will be challnging for the 100kg class records, Cilia will take the 110, while Mifsud will dazzle all with some top quality world class lifting in the 125kg class. Mifsud is largely unchallenged both locally and abroad, so will we witness another 300kg+ deadlift from the big man? Whatever he goes for, steel will definitely bend, and crashing weights will rock the Naxxar area.

2010 National Championships: The Countdown

2010-04-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

The MDFPA has officially released information regarding the eagerly awaited upcoming 2010 National Powerlifting Championships. Here follows the MDFPA's official statement:

The MDFPA 2010 National Championships will be held inside the Sports Hall at the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School in Naxxar on Saturday the 15th of May.

All categories up to 75kgs will weigh in at 1000hrs and lift off at 1200hrs. All categories from 82.5kgs upwards will weigh in at 1200hrs and lift off at 1600hrs.

These Championships will be drug tested, and National Records can be broken. The total entry fee for this event is 30 Euros. Of these, 10 Euro is your annual annual subscription to the MDFPA to become an official member eligible to particpiate both locally and abroad, 15 Euro is the drug testing fee in order to cover drug testing expenses, and 5 Euro is the venue fee.

Lifters, please confirm your entry by emailing maltapowerlifting@gmail.com specifying your Name and the weight category you will be competing in.

On the day, prior to weighing in, you will be required to fill in and sign the official entry form. Please bring your 30 Euros entry fees with you to be paid upon weighing in.

Please be aware ALL LIFTERS MUST WEAR A SINGLET. Also please be aware of the following equipment rules:

A T-Shirt must be worn beneath the singlet for the SQUAT and BENCH PRESS. Knee-high socks must be worn for the DEADLIFT. NO SUPPORTIVE EQUIPMENT other than a LIFTING BELT and WRIST WRAPS may be worn. No other equipment may be worn. Bandages around the knees or elbows are strictly forbidden.

As we receive your confirmation of entry by email, we will publish the provisional starting line ups for both lightweights and heavyweights.

2010 Team Championships rock Zebbug

2010-02-28T04:24:00.000-08:00

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.

Maltese powerlifters gear up for 2010 team Championships

2010-01-31T10:22:00.000-08:00

The first event on the 2010 calendar is the Malta TEAM Championships to be held at Fitness Planet in Zebbug on the 21st of February. The entries are in, and a lift-off of epic proportions is on the cards. Spectators are welcome to come down and watch the battle, which will also be televised on Melita Sports.

World Champion Mario Mifsud will be fielding his same championship winning team (above) that took the title last year. His hardcore gym in Birkirkara has become the temple of Maltese Powerlifting, also producing junior World Record holder in the Squat, Emanuel Schembri. Also on their team is monster bench press specialist Lawrence Ransley. The defending champions are a formidable force, however they will have to fend off some fierce competition this year.

Malta number three Charles Degiorgio (above) will be lifting at home and captaining the Fitness Planet team which presents a very real threat to the defending champions. Alexsander Dolgopolyk is ranked six and steadily rising. The 75kg lifter is in good stead to challenge for some records in that category. Also lifting on home soil is Malta number 11 and National record holder in the -100kg class Bench Press, Josef Spiteri.

Top contenders not to be ignored are Raw Power from Sliema, consisting of Malta number five and team Captain Sean Galea (above), number nine Daniel Debono, and number 13 Eddie Attard. All three athletes possess the experience and consistency necessary to create an upset. All three lifters have competed internationally, while Galea and Debono specifically have been around in the local Powelifting scene from the very beginning. The smallest mistake from team Heay Metal or Fitness Planet, and Raw Power will be hot on their heels.

Malta number seven Kris Mintoff (above) will be captaining a brand new team with two unranked lifters. The Iron Gladiators will be this year's wild card team, possibly with a few tricks up their sleeves!

Lifters will weigh in at 1000hrs, and the lifting will commence at 1200hrs.

New website address

2010-01-31T10:19:00.000-08:00

The official MDFPA website can now be found at http://www.maltapowerlifting.ueuo.com

The records and rankings have been updated with all performances from the 2009 season.

Mario Mifsud Crowned World Champion

2009-11-20T03:56:00.000-08:00

On the 14th of November Mario Mifsud proved his dominance not only of drug-free Powerlifting in Malta, but of the whole World. Lifting in the -125kg category, Mifsud also broke the World Deadllift record with an incredible 325kg lift, to the roaring cheers of his team mates and a packed conference hall at the Hilton Hotel in Milton Keynes. On the way to his championship 742.5kg total, he also squatted 240 and benched 177.5kgs, proving he is among the very strongest drug-free athletes on the planet. Mifsud won his category ahead of

Fellow Heavy Metal lifters Emanuel Schembri (below) and Mariel Incorvaja did not dissapoint. Schembri demonstrated some of his usual world class squatting. He broke the -110kg Junior world record with his 241kg squat. He went on to total 605kgs to place 7th in the -110kg class. His category was won by Swiss lifter Roland Gongarad. Incorvaja set three new world records in the women's -90 M1 category with her 90/57.5/140 performance.

Daniel Debono (below) placed 5th in the 67.5kg category and was the very best junior lifter in that weight class. The highlight of his day being his attempt at the Junior Deadlift record with his 211kg pull. It only got as far as his knees but he is close. With another year left in the Junior category he has his sights set on the record books next year. Stuart Ford from Britain won that category with a phenomenal 567.5kg total.

Malta's largest representation was in the 75kg class. Sadly Charles Degiorgio bombed out of the competition with three attempts at 177.5kgs in the squat that failed to hit the right depth. He will be fighting back next season to make his mark. Edward Attard squatted and benched true to form with lifts of 150 and 117.5 respectively, however also bombed out with three unsuccussful deadlift attempts at 160kgs.

Kurt Bullock and Sean Galea (above) posted respectable performances with totals of 462.5 and 470 respectively. Galea placed 8th with Bullock in 9th. Both lifters have lifted more in the past so they should be hitting some bigger numbers again soon with this additional valuable experience under their belt. British lifter Mark Fleming eventually won the 75kg category convincingly with his World Record 612.5kg total.

Kris Mintoff (above) and Matthew Muscat Inglott both lifted in the 82.5kg category. Mintoff registered an excellent performance in his first ever international appearance by placing 6th with a 530kg total. Malta's number two lifter Muscat Inglott lifted a little under par by failing to achieve his previous bests in this category, and had to be content with 5th place and a 547.5kg total. Paul Mccaffrey from Britain went on to take the 82.5kg category overall with a 630kg total.

MDFPA President Nikolai Borg (below) was the head of the delegation and also performed international refereeing duties at the championships. This was the largest ever contingent to represent Malta in international powerlifting.
Mario Mifsud's 325kg World Record Deadlift can be viewed here. Mario also appeared on TVM last week in an interview that can be viewed here.

August Test - Dazzling New Heights

2009-08-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

Bertu's gym were magnificent hosts last Sunday to the MDFPA August test and qualification tournament for the World Single-Event Championships in Bradford, UK, this coming September. Some mind-blowing lifting from all concerned proved how the standard of Maltese powerlifting is rocketing skywards. It can now be said, that earning a spot in the top ten national rankings is truly a great honour. The top local powerlifters have been working hard in the gym, as our local contests now consistently feature world-class performances.

Mariel Incorvaja continued to establish herself as Malta's premier female lifter by clearing 85/55/130 with ease in the 80kg category. Sean Galea (above) and Chris Schinas sadly didn't have the best of days, both failing to achieve a Total. Nursing a groin injury Schinas opted out of squats. He went on to Bench 90kgs and Deadlift 170kgs for a qualifying standard at the World Singles. Galea registered an opening Squat of 162.5kgs, but raised his white flag in surrender thereafter.

The ripped-to-shreds Andrew Farrugia (above) made a presence at the event with some specialist Benching, taking time out from his track training as a 100m sprinter. Weighing in at a trim 63kgs he went on to break Sean Galea's National Record in the 67.5kg category with a 112.5kg press. He turned up believing he could break the record, and that's exactly what he did. With some modifications to his technique, who knows what this lightweight Bencher can conjure in the future.

Antoine Pace stepped onto the platform for the first time ever. Lifting out of the Zurrieq Powerlifting Club, he raised 105/85/120 in the 75kg class for 211 points, which means he hasn't quite made it onto the top twenty rankings, but no doubt he is bitten by the iron bug and will be upping his game on his next appearance. Another impressive newcomer, Josef Spiteri (above) has been vigilantly preparing for his first ever appearance under the watchful eye of Charles Degiorgio down at Fitness Planet. Degiorgio now has a reputation for preparing and entering fine quality lifters onto the local scene, showing his coaching skills are second to none. Spiteri set a National Record on his first ever appearance, out-benching Matthew Muscat Inglott in the 100kg class with a smooth 152.5kg lift. He is now ranked number 11, just about missing out on a coveted top ten spot.

Newcomer Kristian Mintoff (above) lifting on home ground out of Bertu's gym itself turned a few heads with a fantastic debut on the local Powerlifting platform. He was lifting in the 82.5kg class and easily handled a 170/115/215 which means he swoops into the Rankings already earning a top ten spot. He is now ranked eight, and all eyes are on this powerful new lifter to make some noise in the 82.5kg class. A trimmed down and well-conditioned Aleksander Dolgopolyk (below) registered a fine performance in the 75kg category clinching fifth place overall. He lifted 180/122.5/195 for a final total of 497.5; very respectable for a first performance in this class. He is now ranked 6th Nationally.

Emanuel Schembri (below) dazzled all with a National Record 235kg Squat in the 125kg class, determined to keep his name on the list with the hulking Mario Mifsud having such a strong presence in that category. He proceeded to Bench 155kgs and Deadlift 250kgs for a final Total of 640kgs. His final points tally means he jumps up the rankings into fourth place, finally overtaking Sean Galea.

In third place the highly polished Charles Degiorgio (below) registered the performance of a lifetime. He annihilated Matthew Muscat Inglott's Squat record in the 75kg class with an incredible 190kg lift. Looking much more comfortable in this weight class after moving up from the 67's he went on to break his own National Record in the Bench with a 125kg press. He Deadlifted 205kgs leaving him with a little work before he catches up with Muscat Inglott's 235kg heave in Belgium last year which remains the 75kg National Deadlift Record. He did manage to equal the Total record in the 75kg class of 520kgs, which means he should have his name elsewhere on the Record list in the near future.

Matthew Muscat Inglott (below) lifted his way to second overall on points. He weighed in a tad over 90kgs in order to challenge for the 100kg class records previously belonging to Marvin Cilia. He began his record breaking run with a convincing 212.5kg Squat. He had to be content with his second attempt bench press of 142.5kgs, while going on to Deadlift a token 250kgs to secure a second National record, and also a third and final record of the day with a 605kgs total. He now holds an overall tally of 13 National Records in four separate weight classes, all set within a year of each other. In order to mount a credible assault at a World title in November in the 90kg class, Malta's number two needs a little work on his bench and Deadlift, while his Squat appears to be moving forwards in the right direction.

Malta's strongest man Mario Mifsud (below) stole the show in usual bar-bending style. Lifting in the 125kg class he equaled the National Squat record with his successful attempt at 235kgs and smashed his own Bench Press record with an awe-inspiring 190kg press. The best was yet to come however as he went on to Deadlift an earth-shattering top quality pull of 310kgs, just 10kgs shy of the open World Record which currently rests in British hands. Mario is still first in line as most likely to set an open World record for Malta. His final Total of 735kgs was also a new National Record, and lifting at such heights he is in with a real chance of walking away with a World title at the full powerlifting World's in Milton Keynes this coming November, showing he is still Malta's premier Powerlifter, and possibly one of the greatest athletes ever to represent Malta in the international sporting arena.

Nikolai Borg, Adelia Saliba and Adrian Debattista also did a fine job refereeing with some good calls. A huge thanks goes out to Bertu's Gym and all the staff there who helped to make the lifter's day a pleasant one.

Afternoon of Heavy Metal

2009-08-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

We interrupted Malta's strongest men at Mario Mifsud's Heavy Metal gym in Birkirkara to officially present the award for Malta's strongest team. Mario Mifsud, Emanuel Schembri and Lawrence Ransley cleaned up at the Malta Team Championships in March by obliterating teams from Zebbug, Sliema and Zurrieq with a whopping combined total of 1902.5kgs.

Mifsud and Schembri were busy benching some heavy metal in preparation for the next hot ticket on the Powerlifting calendar; the 2009 World Powerlifting Championships in Milton Keynes, UK, this November. Mifsud will be challenging for the 125kg open title, while Schembri hopes to get his name onto the international record books once again in the Junior 110kg category.

MDFPA rocks Dusseldorf

2009-06-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

The MDFPA made a presence in Dusseldorf last weekend as Matthew Muscat Inglott and Chris Schinas answered the GDFPF's invitation by supplying some quality guest lifting at the German National Championships.

Chris Schinas got some valuable experience in competing at an international event. He started out a little shakey in the squat, registering his first attempt at 112.5kgs (above) but failing to hit the correct depth in his 2nd and 3rd attempts with 117.5kgs.

He quickly made up for it over the remainder of the competition however by breaking his personal bests in the Bench Press and Deadlift (above) with lifts of 90kgs and 170kgs respectively.

Matthew Muscat Inglott set three new national records in the 90kg category with a 205kg Squat (above) and 145kg Bench Press (below).

He nearly made it four with his final Deadlift attempt at 257.5kgs (below). After locking out he failed to hang onto the bar until the referee's "down" signal as his left hand slipped open sending the bar crashing back down to the platform.

The two local lifters were accompanied by German-speaking Simon Xuereb who kindly took care of all communication requirements throughout the trip and also proved to be quite handy with his camera! The trio headed off to Cologne after the competition to let off some steam.

Guest lifters from England and Belgium also turned out in force at the event. The MDFPA extends its thanks to Mariyana Marinova and all our fellow German lifters!

The official results have been published on the GDFPF website at http://gdfpf.de.tl/Results.htm

Judgement Day: 2009 National Championships

2009-04-16T06:50:00.000-07:00

Lija residents must have thought an earthquake erupted last Saturday as Malta's strongest descended on the University Residence to move some serious metal. The 2009 National Championships were a true spectacle of power.

The day kicked off with the B group lifting in the morning. Two athletes dropped out of the group due to illness leaving Elton Caruana, Jean Luc Micallef, Chris Schinas and Edward Attard to fight it out. Edward Attard proved the dominant lifter of the session with some polished deadlifting culminating in a new personal record of 180kgs. He totaled 437.5kgs for 301 points. He is now just one place shy of the top ten nationally ranked powerlifters. On his tail was Chris Schinas, a determined 67.5kg lifter who has been steadily climbing the ranks in the lead up to this event. He crept up the rankings to 15th place with his new personal record of 265 points.

Jean Luc Micallef impressed with his squat as always, registering a 132.5kg lift in the 67.5kg category. 75Kg class lifter Elton Caruana looked highly promising at the start with a 150kg opener on the squat. The weight was no problem, but he was red lighted for moving his feet after the start signal. Unfortunately he ended up bombing out of the competition but could have been a force to be reckoned with. Mariel Incorvaja is now Malta's premier female lifter with her performance of 265kgs in total.

The stage was set for a first class show in the evening as the A group lifters stepped onto the platform. All the top names were there, and the crowd showed it's appreciation for some top quality lifting. WDFPF President Wim Backelant was on hand throughout to supervise the event. This was Mr and Mrs Backelant's second visit to Malta since the inception of the MDFPA.

Kurt Bullock (above) celebrated his first major competition as a Junior lifter with a National Title in the 75kg class, elbowing Edward Attard into 2nd place. Bullock already has ample experience under his belt and looks set to set the platform alight in the near future if he keeps on improving the way he has been. He lifted a flawless total of 470kgs to register 315 points. This places Bullock 7th in the rankings.

Emanuel Schembri (above) did well to make weight for the 110kg category and lifted true to form with some great squatting, equaling Mario Mifsud's National Record of 230kgs. His total of 602.5kgs secured him the National Title in his weight class. The big man has his sights set on breaking his own junior world single lift record in the 125kg class squat again this year.

The much anticipated face off for the 67.5kg category between Charles Degiorgio (below) and Sean Galea (above) did not dissapoint. The two lifters have be jostling for the 67.5kg records for some time now, each holding 2 records each. Degiorgio holds the Squat and Total, while Galea holds the Bench and Deadlift. They were neck and neck after the squat, but Degiorgio etched ahead during the Bench Press, leaving Galea unable to pick up his 2nd and 3rd attempts at 200kgs in the Deadlift. No records were broken, but Degiorgio lifted the title and did well to claim 3rd place overall, as well as defend his spot at number 3 in the National Rankings. He dedicated this great performance to his newborn son Nathan.

In second place overall and lifting the title of National Champion in the 90kg category, Matthew Muscat Inglott (below) made his larger than life appearance, exactly 12kgs heavier than he was at the February test in Zurrieq 9 weeks ago where he competed in the 75kg category. He established a new 90kg category National Record in the Squat with a 202.5kg lift, as well as new Deadlift and Total records of 255kgs and 590kgs respectively, finishing the competition with 354points. Muscat Inglott will also be guest lifting at the German National Championships next month in Dusseldorf.

Mario Mifsud (below) was once again crowned king of local powerlifting, once again affirming his rank at number one. The hulking prodigy from Heavy Metal club in Birkirkara delivered a breath-taking performance, culminated in a truly world class 300kg deadlift. Egged on by the crowd, he made a valiant attempt at the open world record of 310.5kgs, but fell just short, just about clearing his knees. No doubt he will nail it soon and achieve Malta's first open world record.

Daniel Debono and Alexsandr Dolgopolyk sadly bombed out, highlighting the importance of good tactics in powerlifting competition.

The event was sponsored by the PRELUNA HOTEL, SIMON'S BAR at the ZURRIEQ FOOTBALL CLUB, EXOTIQUE, and SALON 15 in Sliema. A special thanks goes out to Mr and Mrs Backelant, Charles Degiorgio, Luke Zahra, Edward Attard, Daniel Debono and Ilona Krista Dougal for their assistance.

One Week to Showdown!

2009-04-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

We are now a week away from the event of the year! The programme for the championships currently looks as follows:

1000-1200: Weigh in ALL ATHLETES
1200: Lift off B group
1700: Lift off A group
Immediately after lifting ends:DRUG TESTING
2000: PRESENTATION of RAFFLE and CATEGORY/OVERALL WINNERS
2230: ALMIGHTY PISS-UP!!

The groups will be divided as follows:

A GROUP:
Mario Mifsud
Matthew Muscat Inglott
Charles Degiorgio
Sean Galea
Emanuel Schembri
Alexsander Dolgopolyk
Daniel Debono
Kurt Bullock

B GROUP:
Marvin Cilia
Edward Attard
George Bonanno
Chris Schinas
Jean Luc Micallef
Adrian Debattista
Mariel Incorvaja
Josephine DeMaria Casabene

Check back throughout the week for updates!

Malta National Championships; One Hot Ticket!

2009-03-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

Attention all lifters: The National Championships are less than a month away!

The sport of Powerlifting has grown enormously over the past year and this years Championships look set to reflect this. We expect a great show and a healthy mix of experienced as well as new lifters. Bring along all your friends for an action-packed day of muscle and might!

This years Nationals will be held on Saturday April 11 at the Malta University Residence in Lija.

WDFPF President Wim Backelant will again be in attendance to supervise the event.

All lifters will be required to pay the annual MDFPA membership fee of 10 Euro, as well as a drug testing fee of 18 Euro. The National Championships are the cornerstone of our annual calendar, so drug testing will be carried out and equipment rules must be followed to bring the MDFPA in full compliance with the WDFPF.

Please be aware ALL LIFTERS MUST WEAR A SINGLET. This new rule will be brought into effect as from this national championship series. Also please be aware of the following equipment rules:

A T-Shirt must be worn beneath the singlet for the SQUAT and BENCH PRESS. Knee-high socks must be worn for the DEADLIFT. NO SUPPORTIVE EQUIPMENT other than a LIFTING BELT and WRIST WRAPS may be worn. No other equipment may be worn. Bandages around the knees or elbows are strictly forbidden.

All lifters planning to compete please email us at maltapowerlifting@gmail.com providing your full name and body weight.

Please download and fill in the APPLICATION FORM and bring it with you on the day of the championships along with your 28 Euro membership and drug testing fees.

We are anticipating a two-phased event with the tentative schedule looking as follows:

1100: Weighing-in 'B GROUP'
1200: Lift-off 'B GROUP'

1500: Weight-in 'A GROUP'
1700: Lift-off 'A GROUP'

Please check back here regularly for updates and developments!

Heavy Metal Gym; Malta Champions!

2009-03-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

Heavy Metal became Malta's strongest group of men last Saturday at the Feelgood Spa, Preluna Hotel. Mario Mifsud and Emanuel Schembri performed true to form and brought along their secret weapon Lawrence Ransley to complete the fine trio. The giant Ransley tipped the scales at a massive 126kgs which means all his lifts were new 145kg category National Records. He enters the National Rankings at 6th place; not a bad debut at all. Schembri again tried to break his own 125kg category National Squat record but narrowly missed out. Malta's number one Mifsud had to hold back on his squatting due to an adductor injury, however benched and deadlifted true to form to accumulate more points than any other lifter present. Together the Heavy Metal lifters achieved a combined tally of 1004 points.

Charles Degiorgio led his Fitness Planet team to second place along with his up and coming young lifter George Bonnanno and another explosive newcomer Alexsandr Dolgopolyk. Dolgopolyk totaled a very respectable 487.5kgs and helped Degiorgio's team along to a combined score of 950 points. The newcomer is ranked number 7 after this stunning debut. Degiorgio himself has now climbed to third place in the overall National Rankings, becoming one of Malta's elite lifters. His total of 465kgs is a new National Record in the 67.5kg category. He now holds two national records in that category, as does Sean Galea.

The 'Raw Power' lifters from Sliema did their best to keep up with Degiorgio's men but had to settle for the third spot. Sean Galea teamed up with his experienced teammates Daniel Debono and Kurt Bullock, who delivered a convincing performance that left them just short of second place with 924 points. Galea lifted conservatively, choosing to focus his sights on next months Nationals, where he will attempt to recapture third place in the National rankings away from Degiorgio. A Degiorgio – Galea face off will add a special flavour to the Nationals in a contest that truly cannot be missed! Debono delivered the performance of a lifetime, upping his points and deadlifing 192.5kgs. As a junior lifter, if he can replicate this lift at the European or World Single Event Championships this year, Malta may gain another entry to the record books alongside Emanuel Schembri's Junior World Record in the 125kg category Squat.

Trailing behind the front runners was the newly formed Zurrieq Powerlifting Club under the tutelage of Matthew Muscat Inglott. He enlisted the services of Chris Schinas and Jean-Luc Micallef to accumulate 859 points in fourth place. Muscat Inglott staged his return to the 90kg category, annihilating his own National Records set just under a year ago.

It's back to the gym now for all our lifters ahead of next month's Nationals which should be an unforgettable experience. Here follow the day's results.

1st Place: HEAVY METAL (Birkirkara)
Mifsud(355)/Schembri(324)/Ransley(324)
= 1004 points

2nd Place: FITNESS PLANET (Zebbug)
Degiorgio(344)/Dolgopolyk(313)/Bonnanno(292
= 950 points

3rd Place: RAW POWER (Sliema)
Debono(313)/Bullock(306)/Galea(304)
= 924 points

4th Place: ZURRIEQ P.C. (Zurrieq)
Muscat Inglott(352)/Micallef(255)/Schinas(252)
= 859 points

Clash of the Titans, March 14

2009-03-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

Four teams will battle it out on Saturday at the MDFPA Team Championship. March 14 will determine Malta's strongest team of men. The Feelgood Spa in Sliema will again play host the MDFPA for a exciting festival of power and might which kicks off at 1430hrs.

Hot favourites 'Heavy Metal' will be captained by Malta's number one lifter Mario Mifsud. Also in his corner is number 5 in the rankings, heavyweight Emanuel Schembri, junior world record holder in the Squat. With two top dogs on the same side, they will be a tough act to beat.

Sean Galea's 'Raw Power' will be enlisting the services of lifters 6 and 8 in the National Rankings Kurt Bullock and Daniel Debono. Sean Galea is currently ranked third and his team looks like a strong contender for the title with good all-round capabilities.

A rising force from the south will be headed by Charles Degiorgio, ranked 4th. He will be assisted by some fresh talent, including the excting newcomer George Bonanno, who made an impressive debut last month at the Zurrieq Test Competition where he jumped straight to 11th place in the rankings. Degiorgio is currently preparing his team for battle at Fitness Planet in Zebbug.

Finally, Zurrieq Powerlifting Club will be led by Matthew Muscat Inglott, ranked second behind Mario Mifsud in the national rankings. He will be stepping forwards with two of his budding prospects Chris Schinas and Jean-Luc Micallef, ranked 14 and 17, and steadily rising.

An interesting mix of experience and fresh talent will make this scrap one for the history books! Weighing in will commence at 1230 and the action will kick off at 1430. See you all there!

Rumble Down South

2009-02-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

The Zurrieq FC Fitness Complex played host last Saturday to the first MDFPA Powerlifting event of the new 2009 season. Local Powerlifters came out in force to flex some competitive muscle and deliver some pulse raising action. The full day of lifting yielded plenty of drama, five new national records, and some exciting new talent.

Weighing in at a trim 74.4kgs, Matthew Muscat Inglott (above & below) took Charles Degiorgio's Squat and Total records in the 75kg category with his 170kg Squat and 520kg Total. Muscat Inglott now has 11 national records under his belt in three separate weight categories. With such big fluctuations in body weight over the 2008 season, he has some serious decisions to make about where he will focus his efforts in 2009, be it the 75, 82.5, or even the 90 kg category.

Having dropped into the 67.5kg category Charles Degiorgio (below) was well placed to mount an assault on Sean Galea's National records. This he managed to do in the Squat with his impressive 162.5kg lift, but only managed to get agonizingly close in the Bench and Deadlift. The muscular Degiorgio has significantly sharpened his game and is steadily climbing up the national rankings, he now occupies the 4th spot behind Galea.

The menacing 125kg lifter from Zurrieq itself Emanuel Schembri (below) was lifting on home ground. He delighted the local crowd with a new national Squat record of 230kgs, breaking his own previous record by 5kgs. Keep in mind Schembri is a Junior world record holder in the Squat. He has truly established himself as one of our premier lifters and looks set for another colourful year on the international circuit.

Having just turned 20, Kurt Bullock (below) is now officially a Junior lifter and a strong contender for this age category on the international platform. His diligent training regimen is yielding dividends with good steady improvement each time he steps up to compete. The solid youngster totaled 460 in the 75kg category.

Marvin Cilia (below) made his comeback after last lifting in the 2008 National Championships. His perfect squat technique rewarded him with a flawless 205kg lift. A couple of kilograms less in bodyweight would make him a significant contender in the 100kg class. Up and coming lifter Edward Attard lived up to all expectations and delivered an exceptional performance. The methodical lifter is a force to be reckoned with in the 75kg class, and will be gunning for the title in April alongside Kurt Bullock and the rest of the field. That should be a great lift-off between the titans, just as it was last year. A return from Elton Caruana would be all we need to really make it an unforgettable battle. He is indeed training, but it's anybodies guess when he will decide to step forwards.

George Bonanno (below) exploded onto the scene with a mystifying debut. He shocked all those present by nipping at the heels of his more experienced counterparts in the 75kg class. Bonanno is literally bursting with potential and can go the distance if he only sticks with his training regimen under the watchful eye of his coach Charles Degiorgio. He showed great aptitude under the bar and a killer instinct on his way to a very respectable 422.5kg total. Very impressive.

Also making his debut, Chris Schinas (below) showed enormous potential with a 342.5kg total in the 67.5kg class. Considering he is being coached by Matthew Muscat Inglott, he has the tools to carry his craft all the way to a convincing showing at the nationals in April. Jean-Luc Micallef registered considerable improvement in this, his second outing to the platform. As always he did not disappoint with his squatting when he posted a very competitive 125kg lift. He too will be looking to make a presence in April in the 67.5kg class. Homegrown talent Antoine Zahra is just oozing power from his solid 98kg frame. After taking up powerlifting only a few weeks ago, he bravely stepped up to make a convincing debut. A little work on technique will allow him to exploit the great power at his disposal over the coming months.

The awesome Mario “The Monster” Mifsud (below) dropped by for a token performance by competing solely in the Bench Press. To the delight of a thrilled crowd Mifsud smashed his own Bench Press record in the 125kg category, raising the mark from 170kgs up to 185kgs with apparent ease. Mariel Incorvaja stepped forth as the second Maltese female ever to register a total in an official powerlifting competition. She deadlifted true to form with a great 130kg pull.

Here follow the official results, with new national records highlighted in red. Please note that the MDPFA official website has been updated with all new records and national rankings.

Tony Camilleri was head referee and did a splendid job alongside Adelia Saliba and Sean Galea who all made some good fair calls. Special thanks goes out to the Feelgood Wellness Spa as the main sponsors, and Alex Zammit for going out of his way to deliver a new deadlifting platform in the nick of time! Thanks Fonzi!!

February Test Competition Will Kick Off 2009

2009-01-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

The MDFPA calendar for the first quarter of 2009 has been officially released and the first hot ticket is already shaping up to be an unforgettable event. Malta's top ranked Powerlifters will all be there polishing their game ahead of the TEAM Championships in March and the Malta Nationals on April 11.

The test competition will be held at the Zurrieq FC Fitness Complex, Main Street Zurrieq, now home to the newly formed Zurrieq Powerlifting Club. The top names will lift, as well as some up and coming athletes who look set to cause significant upheavals in the National Rankings. Rising prodigy Edward Attard (above) has shown some remarkable progress lately under the tutelage of his coach MDFPA President Nikolai Borg. 100kg National Champion Marvin Cilia and veteran lightweight Elton Caruana will be staging their comebacks to the platform, and some new discoveries from Zurrieq itself will be making their debuts.

Entries are sprouting up from all over the island so get your bid in asap if you would like to compete, just drop us a line at maltapowerlifting@gmail.com. Spectators are more than welcome as always! Lifting will commence at 12:00hrs (Weigh-in starts 10:00hrs). The atmosphere at MDFPA events has never let us down so far, and this test competition is shaping up to be a great kick-off for the 2009 season of which we have great expectations boths locally and internationally.

Unstoppable Maltese Team for World Single-Lift Championships

2008-10-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

Malta's athletes made a strong showing at the WDFPF World Single-Lift Championships in Antwerp over the weekend. The Championships were held over three days and attracted over 300 powerlifters from all corners of the globe.

Day one kicked off with squats. 125kg category National Record holder in the Squat Emanuel Schembri (above & below) was Malta's sole offering in this event. After opening with 200kgs, he succeeded in breaking the World Junior Record of 215kgs with his 2nd attempt, raising the mark to 217.5kgs. The previous record was set earlier this year by the young Irishman Ben Loughrey. In his 3rd attempt, Schembri raised the bar even further with a 222.5kg lift. A Junior World Champion and World Record was a good start on day one for the MDFPA.

On Day two the venue was well and truly packed as some of the World's strongest drug-free benchers came forth to strut their stuff on the bench press. Nikolai Borg (below) entered the 67.5kg category earning a respectable 3rd place in the senior division. After nailing his first two attempts at 102kgs and 107.5kgs respectively, he just missed his final attempt at 112.5kgs which would have earned him a new National Record which is currently held by Sean Galea at 110kgs.

Day three saw Malta's largest contingent step onto the platform, starting with the only female of the team, Mariel Incorvaja. She did well to lift her 2nd attempt of 110kgs in good form in the Masters 1 category. Malta's youngest lifter Daniel Debono (below) turned up all set to challenge for the Junior World Record in the 67.5kg category which currently belongs to Farid Maachou of France and stands at 190kgs. Debono pulled 187.5kgs in good form but just missed his valiant attempt at 192.5kgs, securing his place as Junior World Champion in the 67.5kg class.

Senior lifter Matthew Muscat Inglott (below) has been very busy dieting and running lately. Usually an 82.5kg lifter, he managed to slim down to 73.5kgs to challenge for the Open 75kg class Deadlift title, with Dave Nicastro from the USA's 242.5kg World Record firmly insight. His opener and 2nd attempts of 220kgs and 235kgs respectively went up in good style, but his 3rd attempt at 242.5kgs stalled halfway up his thighs. He was content to settle for the 75kg Open World Championship title and a new National Record which previously belonged to Charles Degiorgio at 205kgs.

Malta's powerhouse Mario Mifsud (below) raised hell in the 125kgs class amidst a fearsome selection of very large and ferocious lifters. His successful 2nd attempt at 295kgs was enough to secure an open victory in his weight category. Although Mifsud's 3rd attempt at 300kgs somehow found its way into the fully upright position, it didn't get there the way the referees wanted it to. Unlucky, but a 295 was all he needed.

MDFPA President Tony Camilleri was pleased with the lifters' performances and is determined to submit a larger team to the full Powerlifting 3-lift Championships next year in Italy. A big slap on the back goes out to all the lifters who did us proud in Belgium!

Antwerp here we come!

2008-09-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

The bar was well and truly raised yesterday as Maltese Powerlifting enters a whole new dimension. National records fell like rain, as Malta's strongest men came together to show why they are a force to be reckoned with in the World of international drug-free Powerlifting.

The test competition was held as an opportunity for lifters to get some qualification lifts in ahead of the World Single-event Championships in Antwerp next month. Out of the 16 lifters present, 8 secured their passage and have confirmed their place on the Malta National Team for Belgium.

Matthew Muscat Inglott took the competition overall on points, with Sean Galea in second and Emmanuel Schembri in third. The action kicked off with some serious squatting all round. Josephine DeMaria Casabene became the first woman to register a total in a Local Powerlifting event. Her squat of 75kgs at 47.5kgs bodyweight means she is a hot prospect for chasing the world record mark which stands just 15kgs away at 90kgs. Only time will tell what the iron wielding diva will cook up in her next outing to the lifting platform.

Emmanuel Schembri dazzled the audience with some breath-taking squatting. In his third attempt he equalled Mario Mifsud's national record of 220kgs in the 125kg class. He decided to go for glory and took a fourth attempt at 225kgs to secure his name in the record books. He raised the bending bar in perfect style.

Sean Galea weighed in at a ripped-to-shreds 66.8kgs to challenge junior European Champion Daniel Debono's dominance in the 67.5kg class. This he did in grand style as he broke all four records with a 155kg squat, a 110kg bench press, 200kg deadlift, and 460kg total, leaving the young Debono with some catching up to do. Galea has now accumulated 337 Schwartz points which means he joins the ranks of Malta's elite lifters at number 3, proving he is ready for world class competition.

Equally as impressive was Charles Degiorgio's clean up of the 75kg class. Teenage prodigy Kurt Bullock, who held the total record until yesterday, turned up determined to break the other three records which were previously held by Sean Galea and Emmanuel Vidal. This he did, but he didn't bank on Charles Degiorgio making his weight category. Degiorgio competed at 82.5kgs back in March, but successfully dropped weight to take the 75's by storm. He snatched all the 75kg class records with a 150kg squat, 120kg bench, and 205kg deadlift.

By the time the deadlifts kicked off, the competition had already dealt some damaging blows to the record books, but there was plenty more to come. At just 19 years old, Nikita Taliana hoisted Malta's heaviest female deadlift of 130kgs securing her place on the National Team. Marielle Incorvaja replied with a 125kg pull. She will also be making the passage to Antwerp where she stands a good chance to take the Masters 1 category.

European number 3 in the 82.5kg class Matthew Muscat Inglott smashed his own national deadlift record when he picked up 245kgs at 77.7kgs bodyweight making this the first triple bodyweight Deadlift by a Maltese powerlifter, with a good 10kgs to spare. If he can drop to 75kgs for Antwerp and repeat this performance, there's a serious chance for another gold for Malta.

Malta's strongest man and top ranked powerlifter Mario Mifsud turned up to polish his deadlifting form before he joins the National Team next month. Another hot prospect for awards in Antwerp, he lifted all four of his deadlifts in convincing fashion, rounding off with 305kgs for a new 125kg national record. When this beast is let loose on the international stage next month, heads will turn and floors will rumble.

Edward Attard, Jean-Luc Micallef, Luke Zahra, and Andre Lupi made their debuts while Adrian Debattista continued to polish off his competitive game. The event ran smoothly under the guidance of officials and helping hands Nikolai Borg, Niki Young and Adelia Saliba.

The Malta National team for the World Single-lift Championships will be composed of Emmanuel Schembri for squats on the 9th of October, Nikolai Borg and possibly Charles Degiorgio will bench on the 10th, while Nikita Taliana, Marielle Incorvaja, Mario Mifsud and Matthew Muscat Inglott will be raising hell in deadlifts on the final day of the championship series on the 11th.

Pioneering lifters make Malta debut in Castleblaney

2008-06-26T04:37:00.000-07:00

Our athletes registered a stellar performance at the WDFPF European Championships last Saturday. Over a hundred Powerlifters from all over Europe descended on the small town of Castleblaney in Ireland for the ultimate showdown of natural drug-free power.

First up for Malta was Daniel Debono (above), National Champion in the 67.5kg category. He has shown great improvement on his squat and his final attempt of 122.5kgs means he is just 2.5kgs off Elton Caruana’s National Record. All the other records however are his. After benching 100kgs Debono went on to break his own deadlift record with 185kgs on the bar. This means we also have a new total record of 407.5kgs which shoots Debono up the National Rankings to 4th position. Debono placed 10th amongst a crop of experiences lightweight lifters, finishing as best junior.

Next up on the platform was Kurt Bullock (above) in the 75kgs class. The local 75kgs class is fiercely competitive, but Bullock has returned home with a new Total National Record of 435kgs under his belt showing that at just 19 years of age he is ready to challenge for the Naional Title next year. He equaled Sean Galeas’s National Squat Record of 147.5kgs, benched 100kgs, and deadlifted 187.5kgs, just 2.5kgs shy of the Deadlift National Record, which also belongs to Sean Galea. Bullocks’s lifts earned him 7th place in the 75kgs category and he was the 2nd best T3 lifter present.

Matthew Muscat Inglott (above) was Malta’s final offering of the day as he stepped up to compete in the 82.5kgs category. Back on form, he registered the performance of a lifetime in the face of some stiff opposition. He established a new National Record Squat of 190kgs, equaled his own Bench Press record of 132.5kgs, and again equaled his own Deadlift record of 235kgs, ultimately smashing his own Total National Record bringing the mark up to 557.5kgs. He finished 3rd in the 82.5kg class and was the 2nd best senior lifter.

MDFPA President Tony Camilleri supervised the trip while Nikolai Borg was on hand throughout to coach and encourage the lifters. After the competition the Maltese delegation headed off to Dublin centre for some well deserved rest and recuperation, and plenty of Guinness!

The official MDFPA website has been updated with all the new National Records broken in Ireland aswell as the new updated National Rankings. The Irish Drug-Free Powerlifting Association has released the official results which can be viewed here.

MDFPA Launches Official Website

2008-05-29T02:20:00.000-07:00

The Malta Drug-Free Powerlifting Association has just launched it's official website at http://www.efitnessmalta.com/mdfpa.

The new site includes the official national records, rankings and drug test results. A comprehensive results section detailing all local competitions is also under construction and will be available shortly.

May Test Competition: Road to the Europeans

2008-05-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Feelgood Spa last Saturday May 24 hosted a small test competition as an opportunity for National team lifters to polish their game ahead of the 2008 WDFPF European Championships in Castleblaney, Ireland, next month.

1st on points, Matthew Muscat Inglott (above) showed good form considering he was in a hospital bed just 3 weeks earlier. As an 82.5kg lifter, he weighed in a tad overweight and lifted not at all far from his best, which means all his lifts were new 90kg category records. He totaled 535kgs.

Emmanuel Schembri (above) turned up determined to break Mario Mifsud's squat record in the 125kg category. He just missed his attempt at 222.5kgs but looks certain to get it soon. He totaled 582.5kgs at 111kgs bodyweight. Schembri will bypass Castleblaney and is earmarked for the World Single Lift Championships in Belgium in October.

3rd on points, Malta's hot prospect for the Junior 67.5kg category in Ireland, Daniel Debono (above) showed great improvement in both his squat and bench press. He had little left in the tank for his deadlifts but after his final preparations over the coming month he looks certain to impress at the Europeans. He totaled 372.5kgs.

Promising newcomers Adrian Debattista (above) and Mahir Riahi (below) both registered respectable first time performances in the 110kg and 82.5kg categories respectively.

The lifters who will be competing in Ireland are Matthew Muscat Inglott, Daniel Debono, Sean Galea and Kurt Bullock. We wish them the best of luck.

2008 National Championships: Road to the Europeans

2008-04-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

Following much anticipation, the MDFPA's first official (unequipped) National Championships kicked off on Saturday 29th March with the lightweight divisions in the Morning show.

WDFPF president Wim Backelant (above right) was on hand to oversee the event. With the European Championships coming up in June, this was Malta's chance to get some qualifying totals in. Our lifters did not dissapoint, with a unprecedented 8 athletes going on to make the grade. Mr. Backelant later said of our lifters, "I am surprised of the level I saw, especially considering Malta is a starting nation. Some of the lifters are already ready to compete at international level."

The ripped-to-shreds Daniel Debono (left) from the Feelgood Spa Gym was strongest in the 67.5kg class. He totalled 365kgs ending his performance with a brilliant 182.5kgs which, as a junior, places him just 17.5kgs shy of the World record in his age category. Debono now has the World Record firmly in his sights. Daniel Grima from Challenger Gym in Cottonera took the Best Bench medal from Debono with his 97.5kg press, only just missing his final attempt of 100kgs.

The 75kg category was closely contested with Kurt Bullock, Elton Caruana, and Sean Galea all gunning for the title having come into the competition with virtually identical best efforts in training. There is some fierce rivalry between these lifters which made the 75kgs category a truly nail-biting spectacle. Sean Galea (right) built up a small lead over the others in the squat and hung on to it throughout, narrowly capturing the overall title with his 425kg total and impressive final 190kg Deadlift. To top it off, Nikolai Borg stepped in to snatch the Best Bench medal from under the noses of the 3 top dogs with a convincing 102.5kg press. All the lifters in the 75kg category were lifting out of the Feelgood Spa Gym with the exception of newcomer Richard Ellul who has now gained valuable competitive experience.

Bronze medalist at last year's British National Championships in the 82.5kg class Matthew Muscat Inglott (left) took a time-out from organization duties and donned his weightlifting belt for the evening show. He lifted 542.5kgs and a 235kg Deadlift on his way to taking the overall and Best Bench Press titles in the 82.5kg class. Displaying ideal proportions for this weight class, promising new lifter Charles Degiorgio showed he had what it takes to challenge for this title in the near future by registering a convincing first time performance. No doubt we will be seeing a lot more of him on the local lifting platform.

After winning the Challenger Powerlifting Tournament in December '07, Challenger lifter Marvin Cilia (above) registered a solid performance in the 100kg class. His 497.5kg total and 132.5kg Bench Press ensured the category titles were his. Cilia lifted all his attempts in convincing fashion, showing he has a lot left in the tank for his next appearances this season.

Lifting out of the Heavy Metal Gym in Birkirkara Mario Mifsud and Emmanuel Schembri dominated the 110kg and 125kg classes respectively, both handling some awesome poundages to the delight of their spectators. The hulking Mario Mifsud (below) lifted 690kgs in total and pulled 290kgs in the Deadlift, just 30kgs away from the World Record.

At just 21 years of age, the ferocious Emmanuel Schembri (below) went a step further and attempted to equal the 125kgs Junior category World Records in both the Squat and Deadlift. He narrowly missed both attempts however with a full 2 years left in the Junior category, it is only a matter of time before he drives Malta into the record books. He lifted a total of 602.5kgs.

The best three overall pound-for-pound lifters were Mario Mifsud with 371 points, Matthew Muscat Inglott with 346 points, and Emmanuel Schembri with 322 points. The 8 athletes who have surpassed the qualification standard for the international platform and with it a spot on the National Team that will represent Malta at the European Championships in Ireland this June are: Daniel Debono, Kurt Bullock, Elton Caruana, Sean Galea, Matthew Muscat Inglott, Marvin Cilia, Mario Mifsud, and Emmanuel Schembri.

An exciting day of lifting culminated in the presentaion ceremony, drug testing, and after weeks of dieting, a well-deserved booze-up for the lifters at Q Bar at Waterfront. The event was sponsored by the Preluna Hotel and Power Sports of Luqa. Power Sports are the official vendors of all things Powerlifting in Malta.

The whole day of lifting was captured on camera and meet DVD's will be available shortly for a minimal charge of 5 Euros donation to the MDFPA. Please email maltapowerlifting@gmail.com to pre-order your copy.

A big thanks goes out to Mr. Backelant and his wife, Andrea Preca and everyone at the Preluna Hotel and Spa, organizers Tony Camilleri and Matthew Muscat Inglott, spotters and loaders Emanuel Schembri, Dmitry Popovich, Nikolai Borg, Sean Galea, and Daniel Debono, Charmaine Bianco and Adelia Saliba for helping out, and finally all the lifters and spectators for making the Championships a reality and helping create a wonderful atmosphere for all those present. Mr. Backelant praised the organizers saying they were "very courageous" in their efforts.

2008 National Championship Series

2008-01-26T06:50:00.000-08:00

The Championships will be held on the last weekend of March 2008 on the 29th and 30th at the PRELUNA HOTEL in Sliema. Titles will be available in all weight categories for lifters of all shapes and sizes. Separate honours will exist for the best Bench Press in each weight category. Official National Records in the Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, and total in each category will also be established.

The top lifters who surpass the WDFPF qualifying standards will have the opportunity to represent Malta at the 2008 European Championships in Ireland this coming June.

Please download the Application Form, (if you experience difficulties with this link please email maltapowerlifting@gmail.com to request an application form) print and fill it out, and return ASAP either in person at the Feelgood Wellness Spa in Sliema, or mail to:

MDFPA,
13, OTRADA,
TRIQ MATTEW PULIS,
SLIEMA,
SLM 3055.

Closing date for submission of application forms is the 21st of March.

Categories up to the 75kgs class will be contested on the 29th of March, and all the remaining categories from 82.5kgs upwards will be contested the following day, on the 30th of March. The Championships will take place at the Preluna Hotel in Sliema. All lifters must register with the MDFPA and the WDFPF for a registration fee of 10 Euros.

The MDFPA is committed to the worldwide initiative of cleaning up the image of strength sports. Drug-free Powerlifting is for naturally trained athletes and drug testing will be conducted at the championships. MDFPA lifters must also be available for random drug tests that can be carried out at any time of the year at the discretion of the MDFPA doping-control officials. Check out the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list to find out which substances are banned. All lifters are obliged to pay a 18 Euro drug testing fee.

Regular supplements and creatine are fine, but beware of supplements that claim to raise testosterone levels, and all supplements that are manufactured by brands who also manufacture pro-hormones and other illegal drugs, as they are susceptible to cross contamination between their products. Drug test results are made public through the association website, and failed drug tests result in an automatic lifetime ban from competition. These rigorous controls are essential to protect the integrity of strength sports and keep competitions fair for everyone.

Upon receipt of your registration fees we will provide you with a membership card and a handbook to assist you in your preparation for the Championships and totally familiarize you with competition proceedings. Registration fees can be paid in cash at the Feelgood Wellness Spa at the Preluna Hotel in Sliema any time from now up until the competition day. On the competition day itself when you are weighed in will be the final opportunity for payment. Lifters who do not pay the fees will not be allowed to compete.

So if you want to compete make sure you complete the following checklist:

- Start training!!!
- Download and fill out the application form
- Submit it in person at the Feelgood Spa together with 28 Euros in cash before March 21
- OR submit it by post to the above address before March 21, and pay your fees in cash on the day of the competition when you weigh-in
- Read through the MDFPA handbook before the day of the competition to ensure you are fully prepared
- Double check the schedule above and make sure you are on time for the weigh-in of your weight category

Marvin Cilia top dog at Challenger Tournament

2007-12-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

Six budding powerlifters came together at the Challenger Gym in Cottonera to cut their teeth on the lifting platform in preparation for an exciting upcoming Powerlifting season in 2008. It looks like the biggest Powerlifting event ever seen in Malta is likely to happen sometime around the end of March 2008, where national titles will be up for grabs in all weight categories. The Challenger lifters under the guidance of Darryl Poulton are now well placed to make a strong presence at the championships.

With a firm background in athletics, Challenger Gym’s own Marvin Cilia performed most of his attempts with relative ease for a 467kgs total. He weighed in a tad over 90kgs making him a strong contender for that weight category next March.

At just 18 years of age, Kurt Bullock took the 2nd place trophy with a 390kgs total at 74kgs bodyweight. Lifting out of the Feelgood Spa in Sliema, Bullock has already attained a high standard in the international “Teen 3” age category. The current top local 75kgs lifter Sean Galea will have to watch his back if he is going to keep the young up and coming lifter at bay. In 3rd place was Daniel Grima with a 345kgs total at 64kgs bodyweight. Grima also won the separate trophy for best bench press with his 100kgs press.

Lydon Farrugia totalled 398kgs at 80kgs bodyweight to claim 4th place showing excellent potential. Feelgood Spa lifter Kevin Mifsud ranked 5th with his total of 390kgs at 82kgs bodyweight, registering a 10kgs improvement over his total last September at the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup. Gary Saliba totalled 305kgs at 73kgs bodyweight for the 6th spot.

Below, the competition organizer Darryl Poulton, the winners Kurt Bullock, Marvin Cilia, and Daniel Grima, and Matthew Muscat Inglott on refereeing duty.

Mario Mifsud launches Powerlifting Club

2007-11-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

The National Shot Put and Discus throwing Champion, and winner of the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup, Mario Mifsud has launched his hardcore 'Heavy Metal' Gym as a haven for himself and a dedicated group of strength athletes to hone their power and lifting techniques.

Mario Mifsud and Emanuel Schembri are top contenders for the upcoming 2008 powerlifting season. A 'Heavy Metal Gym vs. Feelgood Spa' team event may be in the pipeline where Mario Mifsud and some of the strongest men in Malta will attempt to topple Matthew Muscat Inglott and his Feelgood Spa lifters from their established position on the Maltese powerlifting scene.

We dropped in at the spartan training facility on a Saturday afternoon and witnessed some impressive deadlifting from the big men. Heavy Metal blurted out of the speaker system accompanied by the ryhthmic clanging of weights nearing a quarter of a ton smashing into the floor. Matthew Muscat Inglott, now back in action after recovering from abdominal injuries, dropped by for spying duties. No doubt he will be piling on the pressure in his own training and that of the Feelgood Spa lifters. The biggest powerlifting contest ever seen in Malta is on for the end of March 2008 with titles in every weight category up for grabs for the hungriest lifters.

Exciting day of lifting at the Preluna Hotel

2007-09-17T02:09:00.000-07:00

National Shot Put and Discus throwing champion Mario Mifsud has won the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup.

Organized by the Feelgood Wellness Spa and hosted by the Preluna Hotel, the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup provided the enthusiastic crowd in attendance with an exciting and entertaining spectacle of strength and power. The invitational Powerlifting tournament produced some quality lifting and promising newcomers.

Tony Camilleri and the Feelgood girls Justine, Cristina, Charmaine, and Adelia kept
events running smoothly while Matthew Muscat Inglott refereed and kept the crowd up to speed with a running commentary. The Popovich brothers Dmitry and Vitaly ensured the proceedings stuck to schedule with some efficient loading and spotting.

The day of lifting kicked off with squats. Mario Mifsud took an early lead with his 220kgs (128 points) final attempt, with Olympic Weightlifter Emanuel Schembri hot on his heels. Manwel (left) squatted 205kgs in his 2nd attempt only to miss 220kgs in his 3rd, leaving him on 120 points. Close behind the big men at the end of the squat competition was Sean Galea with his 145kgs squat, which at a bodyweight of 68kgs earned him 110 points.

Since lifters of different bodyweights were all competing against each other, the Wilks formula was used to determine points and order of rank. Justine (right) was on scoreboard duty to show everyone how many points each lifter had at any given time.

At just 16 years old, football player Kurt Vassallo established himself amongst the front runners early on in the competition. If all our young football players take their strength and conditioning training as seriously as Kurt, then we can expect some pleasant surprises on the international football scene in the near future.

Mario Mifsud secured a commanding lead over the rest of the field with his 170kgs press for 99 points. This lift also safely secured him the separate trophy for best Bench Press. Ex-bodybuilder Emanuel Vidal (left) also challenged for the Bench Press title with his 105kgs lift at a bodyweight of 74kgs. Vidal finished second to Mifsud with 75 points. Also making an appearance in the Bench-only event was Malta road running champion Gerald Grech, showing good all-round athleticism and effective upper body strength with his lift of 75kgs at 64kgs bodyweight.

Charmaine (right) was on hand for the purchase of raffle tickets.
All the proceedings of the raffle went towards financing the competition, with the rest as prize money for the lifters. Most of the money was raised by Kevin Mifsud and the employees at Thomas Smith. The crowd in attendance also lent their valued support in raising over Lm80 to be split amongst the top 5 lifters.

Philip Bugeja, another young lifter at 19 years of age, cracked the 100kg Bench Press mark with his valiant attempt that had everyone on the edge of their seats. As the bar inched up agonizingly slowly, Philip Bugeja proved that at a bodyweight of 114kgs, has plenty of size, raw power, and ability to go far in the sport of Powerlifting.

Feelgood’s Nikolai Borg (left) faired well in the squats but unfortunately bombed out of the bench press competition with 3 failed attempts at 100kgs.

By the end of the Bench Press competition, Mario Mifsud and Emanuel Schembri securely held the 1st and 2nd place trophies within their grasp. Sean Galea was still in 3rd but Erton Caruana was close behind in 4th place. The 16-year-old football player Kurt Vassallo kept the pressure on the front runners with some impressive lifting at 70kgs bodyweight with a 110kg squat and 90kg Bench Press.

Cristina (right) made sure everyone knew what set of attempts were to be attempted next. At the start of the Deadlifts, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th places were all up for grabs for those lifters who planned on going home with some extra money in their pockets.

A bone-crunching 270kgs Deadlift all but annihilated all the lifter’s hopes of toppling Mario Mifsud from the top spot. Emanuel Schembri secured 2nd place with a convincing 230kgs lift. Feelgood’s Erton Caruana turned the tables on Sean Galea in his speciality lift, stealing the 3rd place trophy with his lift of 170kgs. Sean Galea missed his final attempt at 165kgs and had to settle for 4th place. A fantastic achievement considering he only had 2 weeks to prepare following over a month of no training due to an unfortunate work-related accident. The powerful young Kurt Vassallo took 5th place with his final deadlift of 145kgs. After only recently taking up the sport and after just a few weeks of training at the Feelgood Spa, Kevin Mifsud pulled over double bodyweight with an impressive 175kgs. He missed out to Kurt by just 1.5 points. Unfortunate, but Kevin looks well placed to do some serious damage to the rankings in the near future.

Philip Bugeja finished in 7th place. The promising Daniel Debono deadlifted a respectable 135kgs for 8th place, while Darryl Poulton took 9th while his final lift of the day of 145kgs just about left him short of overtaking Daniel.

Darryl Poulton finishes the competition in convincing fashion with a strong 145kgs pull.

A strong top pull with 135kgs from the promising Daniel Debono.

Bursting with power, the young Philip Bugeja leaving his mark with 175kgs.

Kevin Mifsud fights 175kgs off the floor for 6th place.

The future of Maltese football Kurt Vassallo clinches the 5th place prize money with his 145kgs lift.

Sean Galea phsyches up for his personal war with 165kgs.

A ripped Erton Caruana at 66kgs bodyweight clearing 170kgs for 3rd place.

Emanuel Schembri the Olympic lifter shows us how its done. A nice pull up and into the body with 230kgs.

Strongest man in Malta, the monstruous Mario Mifsud pulls 270kgs with apparent ease.

More videos:

Erton Caruana - Squat - 125kgs (275lbs) at 66kgs (145lbs) bodyweight.
Emanuel Schembri - Squat - 205kgs (451lbs) at 111kgs (244lbs) bodyweight.
Mario Mifsud - Squat - 220kgs (484lbs) at 113kgs (248lbs) bodyweight.

Sean Galea - Bench Press (miss) - 95kgs (209lbs) at 68kgs (149lbs)bodyweight.

Kurt Vassallo - Deadlift - 145kgs (319lbs) at 76kgs (167lbs) bodyweight.
Erton Caruana - Deadlift (miss) - 170kgs (374lbs) at 66kgs (145lbs) bodyweight.
Kevin Mifsud - Deadlift - 175kgs (385lbs) at 81kgs (178lbs) bodyweight.
Emanuel Schembri - Deadlift - 230kgs (506lbs) at 111kgs (244lbs) bodyweight.

Recovering from a hard road race just the day before, Gerald Grech (left) showed great sportsmanship in turning up to support the Invitational Powerlifting tournament. Kevin Mifsud (below right)
performed excellently in his first competition of this kind, and made an invaluable input by selling raffle tickets to Thomas Smith employees, greatly bolstering the prize money, which unfortunately he missed out on winning by just 1.5 points!

The raffle prizes were eventually drawn, bringing the show to a conclusion. A big slap on the bag to all the lifters for giving us a great show, and hats off to the Feelgood Wellness Spa and Preluna hotel for pulling the whole thing off and showcasing local strength sports in such entertaining style.

Here follow the official results:

And the Bench-only competition:

A special thanks to the 2007 Feelgood Spa Cup sponsors the Feelgood Wellness Spa, Preluna Hotel and Spa, Exotique, and Thomas Smith travel and insurance who all showed great iniative in their support for local sport.

Matthew Muscat Inglott at 2007 British Unequipped Championships

2007-09-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

After qualifying in Yorkshire back in April, Maltese powerlifter Matthew Muscat Inglott was in Birmingham last Sunday 2nd of September for the 2007 British Unequipped Powerlifting Championships 82.5kgs bodyweight category. The competition was well attended with a total of 8 lifters battling it out for the title. Muscat Inglott was representing Yorkshire and the Northeast.

After weighing in at a light 80.1kgs, Muscat Inglott opened up with an easy 170kgs squat. With the first lift under his belt he went on to lift 187.5kgs in good form. After driving out of the "hole" in his final attempt with 190kgs, he stalled half way up and could not complete the movement, therefore settling for 187.5kgs as his best squat. Steve Gates from the East Midlands won the Squat competition with a brilliant 207.5kgs.

Muscat Inglott had high hopes in the Bench Press but unfortunately missed his final attempt of 137.5kgs and had to be content with 132.5kgs from his previous attempt. At this point Muscat Inglott was in third place and had the bronze medal in his sights. Maxwell Herd from Greater London won the Bench Press event with an impressive 155kgs.

The fight began during the Deadlifts after sustaining an abdominal injury with a 205kgs opener. After two painful but successful struggles with 225kgs and 227.5kgs respectively, Muscat Inglott went on to lift a final total 547.5kgs. Steve Gates won the Deadlift event with his 257.5kgs lift, and with it, the overall championship title and gold medal with his final total of 590kgs. Maxwell Herd finished 2nd for the silver medal with a total of 565kgs, and Matthew Muscat Inglott 3rd for the bronze with 547.5kgs.

This total shows a good improvement over the 535kgs total obtained in Yorkshire 4 months ago. Muscat Inglott was sponsored by the Preluna Hotel, with invaluable backing and support from Andrea Preca and Tony Camilleri.

Matthew had a well-deserved rest with his brother Daniel after the competition, pictured below outside the Bullring in Birmingham.

Matthew Muscat Inglott in good form at British YNE Championships

2007-06-01T04:00:00.001-07:00

Matthew Muscat Inglott was in Ashington on April 28 for the Yorkshire & North East Counties Unequipped Powerlifting Championships where he took first place in the senior 82.5kg class.

After weighing in at 80.7 kgs Muscat Inglott went on to lift all his squat attempts of 165kgs, 175kgs, and finally, 180kgs. He missed his first Bench Press of 115kgs for not awaiting the referees "Press" signal, but proceeded to lift 120kgs and 130kgs in good form. For the Deadlift Muscat Inglott started with 200kgs and proceeded with his successful lifts of 220kgs, and finally 225kgs.

With a total of 535kgs, Muscat Inglott easily surpased the British National qualifying standard of 510kgs and has therefore earned his passage to the British National Unequipped Championships to be held on September 1-2.

More details about Powerlifting in Yorkshire and the Northeast can be found at the YNE divisional website at http://www.weights.demon.co.uk/.

The official results of the 2007 YNE Unequipped Powerlifting Championships can be viewed here: http://www.weights.demon.co.uk/yne/uepl07.gif

2007 Feelgood Powerlifting Challenge

2007-04-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

On Saturday April 14 the Feelgood Wellness Spa organized and hosted a friendly Powerlifting contest for its strongest members. The “2007 Feelgood Powerlifting Challenge” was well attended by friends, family, Feelgood members, and some enthusiastic residents from the Preluna Hotel. The competition was overseen by officials Georgei Manolov and Dmitry Popovic.

Powerlifting competitions consist of attempts at maximal weights in 3 exercises; the squat (the legs must bend until the thigh is below parallel to the floor), bench press (the bar must come into contact with the chest and pause there for one second before pressing), and deadlift. The best attempts at each lift are added and points are calculated using a formula that also takes into account the lifters’ age and bodyweight.

This year’s Feelgood champion Erton Caruana (above left) snatched first place with some exciting lifting. In the Deadlift, Caruana picked up nearly two-and-a-half times his own bodyweight with his 165kg lift. He posted a final total of 395kgs, which at a bodyweight of 67kgs earned him 305 points. Hot on his heels in 2nd place was 69kg rival Sean Galea (right) as both lifters continuously jockeyed for the 1st place trophy throughout the competition. Galea posted an impressive 135kg squat, eventually going on to total 379kgs for 285 points.

Nikolai Borg (below left) won the crowd’s support with his final deadlift attempt and valiant struggle against 145kgs. A lift that normally takes no more than several seconds to complete, turned into a drawn out war as the bar inched agonizingly slowly off the floor and up into its final position. He eventually lifted a total of 355kgs, which at a bodyweight of 68.5kgs secured him the 3rd place trophy with 270 points. At 61-years-young, Nick Matthews (below right) kept all the lifters under pressure with an impressive 300kgs total earning him 4th place with 255 points.

The crowd was also entertained with some bar-bending poundages from the two guest lifters Matthew Muscat Inglott and Mario Mifsud. Matthew Muscat Inglott (below left) lifted as part of his preparation for the upcoming British North East Championships in Yorkshire on April 28. At a bodyweight of 80kgs, he accumulated 366 points with his final total of 540kgs.
National Junior record holder in the Discus throw, athlete Mario Mifsud (below right) pitted his hulking 110kg bodyweight against some awesome weights in his first competition of this kind. To the delight of the crowd, he picked up his final deadlift of 250kgs with ease, showing great potential to do some damage in the international raw heavyweight classes in the imminent future. He lifted a grand total of 615kgs for 361 points.

August 2006 Test Competition

2007-02-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

An unequipped test competition was held at the Feelgood Spa on August 12 2006 as a chance for Maltese lifters to flex their competitive muscle. Malta Powerlifting Association official Mark Farrugia was referee.

Matthew Muscat Inglott, Sean Galea, and Erton Caruana participated as Feelgood team lifters while Dmitri Popovich lifted as a guest. The competition was a valuable experience for all those involved.

Here follow the results.

If you are interested in forming a team and Participating against the Feelgood team please contact us at info@efitnessmalta.com