PARA POWERLIFTING
Torquay will play host to a regional talent search aimed at finding the next generation of Australian para powerlifters.
The development day at Bells Beach Performance Hub will give people with disability the chance to try the Paralympic sport, with representatives from Para Powerlifting Australia and regional sports academies on hand to identify potential athletes and discuss pathways into competition.
Hub co-owner Michelle Hemley said the event was part of a push to bring more targeted talent identification opportunities to regional communities.
“In the past, many athletes have stumbled along Paralympic sports by mistake,” she said.
“Now we’re creating some really dedicated opportunities for local people who may be classifiable in these sports as a Paralympian to come and just learn about the sport.”
Para powerlifting involves athletes performing a bench press while lying on a specifically designed bench. Para powerlifting athletes must have a physical impairment in their hips or legs and meet eligibility criteria.
Unlike many other para sports, powerlifting athletes do not compete in sport classes according to their impairment but in 10 weight categories.
Hemley, who works with national sporting organisations on coaching development and pathways, said regional opportunities could help people discover a sport they might not otherwise encounter.
She offered the hub’s gym space after Para Powerlifting Australia began exploring more regional development opportunities.
The development day will allow participants to try the sport in a low-pressure environment, while sporting representatives assess local talent and explain the support available to those interested in progressing.
Hemley said the aim was to make Paralympic sport more accessible and help potential athletes take their first steps towards competition.
“Who knows, we might be able to find somebody, and we might have our next para powerlifting superstar found here at Bells Beach Performance Hub,” she said.
The Para Powerlifting Development Session will be held at Bells Beach Performance Hub on Saturday 24 October from 1pm.
For details visit parapowerliftingaustralia.com.au
