A large crowd was on hand at the Lithgow Fitness Centre to witness Lithgow powerlifters Aaron Picman and Mark Hoy break AWBC world bench press records in their respective divisions at the Oceania Powerlifting Organisation’s National Bench Press Championships.

Mark Hoy, weighing in at a 60kg, lifted a very impressive 111kg on his opening attempt to break the world record in the 60kg Masters 45 to 49 years division.

Hoy had a further three attempts at 120kg to improve his record but it wasn’t to be.

Aaron Picman, weighing in at 79kg, brought the house down with his opening attempt of 170.5kg to break the 82.5kg 18 to 19 years’ world record.

Picman then took a massive 175kg for his second attempt but narrowly missed.

In an impressive show of strength Picman then took the 175kg again for a third attempt — and to the amazement of the crowd smashed his world record.

Other lifters to impress in the Bench Press competition were Ron Birch and Nerissa Gray from Ballina who also broke world records in their respective divisions.

Esther Smithard from Lithgow, lifting in her first ever competition, set a new Australian Masters record with 52.5kg and looks certain to improve on this mark later in the year.

Gavin Howell, also from Lithgow, broke his own Australian bench press record with his opening attempt at 152.5kg but narrowly missed his next two attempts at 157.5 and 160kg.

A novice three-lift powerlifting competition was held in conjunction with the bench press competition that saw lifters from Lithgow, Bathurst, Orange, Sydney and Ballina set several OPO National records.

In her first competition Lithgow’s Nikki Partridge set four new sub masters records with a 50kg squat, 55kg bench press and a 100kg deadlift.

Fourteen year old Emma Wright from Bathurst displayed some very impressive lifting setting four new teenage National records with an 80kg squat, 47.5kg bench press and a 100kg dead lift.

Not to outdone by his daughter big Dan Wright then put on an awesome display of power with a 270kg squat, 195kg bench press and then broke the National dead lift record with a massive 320kg.

The Oceania Powerlifting Organisation thanks Jody and Lyne Presbury and the staff of the Lithgow Fitness Centre for providing such an excellent venue and local business General Underground Services for supplying trophies and medals.