By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD — Heavy iron, an enthusiastic crowd, and raw determination filled the air at JD3 Fitness Safford on Saturday, July 11, as the local facility celebrated its landmark 10-year anniversary by hosting its annual summer Powerlifting Competition.
Marking the third time the event has been held at the Safford gym location — and the seventh iteration overall across the gym’s history — this year’s contest brought together 15 local powerlifters to test their physical limits across the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Co-owner Josh Patton, who operates JD3 Fitness alongside his wife and business partner, Kelly Patton, reflected on how far the competition has grown since its humble beginnings.
“We are on our 10-year anniversary. Powerlifting is something we started about a year or two into it,” Josh Patton said. “We had 15 competitors to start with — seven on the very first one — so it’s really grown. We look forward to it every year. It’s amazing seeing these athletes come out and actually pursue what they’re trying to do and test it against everybody, seeing the real emotions. It’s fun watching them.”
Despite some pre-event nerves with Kelly away during the action, Josh praised the smooth operation and safety of the day’s lifts.
“It’s been running pretty smooth. No injuries—only one baby!” Patton joked. “That’s always our biggest concern: lifters’ safety and spotters’. We follow the powerlifting rules that are all across Arizona when it comes to equipment and rules… so these guys know what to train for.”
Flores and Richard Claim Grand Champion Titles
At the end of a grueling day on the platforms, two lifters stood at the top of the leaderboard to take home the overall Grand Championship awards, calculated using the official Wilks formula to determine the strongest pound-for-pound athletes:
- Women’s Grand Champion: Daisy Flores (307.98 Wilks score)
- Men’s Grand Champion: Tristan Richard (299.30 Wilks score)
Flores put on an absolute clinic in the Women’s 140–164 lb weight class, sweeping all three lifts by squatting 245 lbs, benching 160 lbs, and deadlifting 300 lbs for a massive 705 lb total. She also dominated the max bench reps challenge, pumping out 10 reps at 95 lbs.
On the men’s side, Tristan Richard delivered a monstrous performance in the 215–239 lb weight class. Richard put up the heavy numbers of the day, squatting a tournament-high 535 lbs and pulling a staggering 605 lb deadlift to anchor an astonishing 1,485 lb total.
Division Champions & Individual Lift Leaders
The competition featured standout performances across multiple weight divisions for both men and women:
- Women 190–214 lbs: Corina Dominguez swept her division, putting up a 215 lb squat, 105 lb bench, and 230 lb deadlift for a 550 lb total.
- Men 140–164 lbs: Adam Tellez Blanco posted a clean sweep with a 365 lb squat, 255 lb bench, and a strong 495 lb deadlift for an impressive 1,115 lb total.
- Men 165–189 lbs: Jonny Villalobos showcased incredible balance, leading his class with a 385 lb squat, 335 lb bench, and 475 lb deadlift for a 1,195 lb total.
- Men 190–214 lbs: Tomasomoa Soke earned top honors with a solid 315 lb bench press.
- Men 240–264 lbs: Ryan Sanders put on a dominant show, topping the board with a 500 lb squat and a 405 lb bench press, while tying Shon Morrell for the top deadlift in the division at 515 lbs to reach a 1,420 lb total.
- Men 265–289 lbs: Andrew Rios swept his division by recording a 405 lb squat, 315 lb bench, and 495 lb deadlift for a 1,215 lb total.
High-Rep Bench Burnout
In addition to maximum single-rep efforts, athletes pushed their endurance to the brink in the popular Max Bench Reps competition:
- Women (95 lbs): Daisy Flores — 10 reps
- Men (225 lbs): Sam Diaz — 28 reps (Diaz also recorded the single heaviest bench press of the entire competition at 425 lbs)
- Men (315 lbs): Will Wood — 10 reps
A 24-Hour Fitness Hub for the Gila Valley
As JD3 Fitness looks forward to its next decade of serving Safford and the surrounding communities, Josh Patton reminded local fitness enthusiasts that joining the facility is easier than ever.
“Just come on down and check us out,” Patton added. “We’re online—all the signups and stuff are online. Your key to get into the building in on your phone. It’s 24 hours. Give us a call and meet us down here and we’ll give you a tour.”
JD3 Fitness Safford is located at 921 S. 1st Ave. in Safford.
