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Wayne Cormier caught his white whale.
The 63-year-old powerlifter from Swift Current, Sask., approximately 225 kilometres west of Regina, reached the top of the GPC World Championships podium for the first time in his over-50-year career.
“It’s been a flood of emotions,” Cormier said.
He overcame a heart attack in May and went on to win three gold medals and a bronze in his fifth world championship appearance. After calling the pursuit his obsession, Cormier said he didn’t allow the emotions of the moment to overwhelm him until his final competition was over.
“I went back into the athletes’ waiting area … and then just sat there by myself for probably a good half hour,” he said.
“That’s when everything started to sink in. Some of the emotions. Lots of the memories started flooding back out of nowhere, going back 50 years and some of the highlights over the years.”
Wayne Cormier of Swift Current, Sask., has won everything in his powerlifting career but a world championship gold medal. He’s pushed through health challenges to take another crack at his dream.
Cormier took home gold medals in the male masters 125kg category for equipped powerlifting, raw powerlifting and equipped bench press. He won bronze in raw bench press.
He added Canadian records in his category for the raw bench press and equipped bench press.
Cormier’s best previous result at the world championships was a bronze medal almost 30 years ago.
“He put in the hours, he pushed through the setbacks, and he achieved a lifelong goal,” said Cassandra Crozier, Cormier’s nutritionist. “I know he’ll come back with a new goal on his mind. He’s an inspiration to all of us in the sport.”
Wayne Cormier’s training team of Lee Powell, Cassandra Crozier, Cormier and Mason Pederson pose for a photo after Cormier’s final session before heading to Poland. (Shawn Mullin/CBC)
Cormier was in daily communication throughout the event with former world champion Lee Powell from Regina.
“I’m proud of the old guy,” Powell said. “He did what he went there to accomplish. He had a good week and the main thing is he’s coming back home in one piece.”
Cormier said the few injuries he did sustain during the world championships weren’t going to stop him.
He said the closest he came to quitting was during a family meeting after his recent heart attack.
“I’ve had to overcome all of those injuries and … not doubt myself after doctors and specialists have said no, we don’t recommend this … you’re done,” Cormier said.
“Number one thing that I tell my athletes is that you cannot lift in fear. If you’re going to lift in fear, you’re not going to reach the pinnacle of your sport. All of that just makes this past week unbelievable.”
His advice to any other athletes his age is that what you do away from the sport becomes as important as what you do in it.
“It’s a 50/50 split,” Cormier said. “You have to lift heavy weights for sure, but the emphasis on recuperation is so much more important.”
Wayne Cormier poses with his four medals from the GPC World Championships (Tricia Cormier)
While Powell has already urged him to defend his world championships in Hungary next year, Cormier hasn’t made any decisions. He said he is waiting for the adrenaline to wear off before thinking about it more seriously.
“If I was pressured for whatever reason to make an answer I would say, nope, not going to retire,” he said. “But since I’m not being pressured, the answer to the question is I don’t know.”
After falling short on four previous world championship trips, he said he’s just hoping to hold onto the sensation of standing at the top of the podium, draped in the Canadian flag.
“It took me 50 years to get to that moment,” Cormier said. “The feeling is one that I’ll never forget. I hope I carry this feeling of accomplishment for the rest of my life.”
