Cape Town - He’’s only 17, but can deadlift 230 kg. Spencer Hammond broke three records at the SA Powerlifting Championship in March after training for a year.
The Kenilworth teen has set his sights on a gold medal at the World Powerlifting Championship in Texas, US next month.Training for a world championship is a commitment, especially while Spencer is busy writing his matric exams at Westerford High School.
“Some people say I’m a gymkop (gym bunny), but I don’t think they really understand how much work I’ve put into it,” he said.
“Nothing’s easy in life; if you want to win you have to push it properly.”
Spencer got into powerlifting by training with some friends, who suggested he enter a competition. He competed for the first time last September.Three months later, he qualified for Western Province Champs, and then SA Champs in March.
A powerlifting competition involves one squat, one bench press and one deadlift of the heaviest weights you can manage. Competitors are divided up according to their age and body weight.
Spencer is in the subjunior age division, and the 74-83kg weight class.At the recent SA Champs, he broke the record with his bench press of 125kg and deadlift of 230kg, as well as the overall weight he lifted.
He’d like to get his squat of 170kg up to 200 before the World Champs. “I’ll never regress, I always want to progress.”
Coach Trenton Brookes said Spencer had what it took to be a world champion.
“One of the most important things to be a powerlifter is discipline,” Brookes said. “Spencer is a really hard-working person, I’m well pleased with his progress.”
The coach said Spencer jumped a couple of weight classes since he began training.
“He’s a powerfully built person, he can go far with the right nutrition and training. With more training I see him possibly breaking world records.”
Spencer’s mom, Wendy Hammond, said the sport had had unexpected benefits in other areas of her son’s life.“It’s added a tremendous amount of discipline which indirectly rubbed off in terms of his school work. It’s given him a better sense of organising himself around his other activities,” she said.
Balancing gym and school is a tricky business, especially in the middle of matric exams.“It’s difficult, I’m not going to lie. I try to finish all my work before I go to gym, otherwise I’ll be up into the early hours of the morning,” Spencer said.
Wendy said it had also helped instil a healthy lifestyle.“He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke. With competing at this level you have to watch what you eat, so he’s become very health conscious.”
Surprisingly, Wendy has never been to see her son compete.“I can’t stand to see him picking up these heavy weights. I don’t have the stomach to go and watch him, I’m not ready.”
With his training programme on track, Spencer said the biggest obstacle to winning gold in Texas was finding the funds to attend the competition.“We’re trying to raise funds,” Wendy said.
“We’re both wellness coaches, so we are offering wellness assessments to the public for R50 at Plantation Primary in Ottery on May 19 and 20.Next year after high school, Spencer hopes to take a gap year to focus ontraining.
“I’d like to get a gold at the world champs next month, but if not, I’m going to try again next year.”
Cape Argus