Cadet Powerlifter Places Fourth at Worlds

John Rivas performs a squat at the national championships, where he qualified to compete in Poland. -- Photo courtesy of John RIvas.

LEXINGTON, Va., Sept. 4, 2012 – Cadet John Rivas ’13 traveled to Poland last week to compete against the strongest young powerlifters in the world at the International Powerlifting Federation’s 30th World Junior Championships in Szczyrk, Poland.

Rivas competed on Sept. 1, lifting a combined total of 1,958 pounds for a fourth-place overall finish in his weight class. That combined lift was made up of a 792-pound squat, a 495-pound bench press, and a 671-pound deadlift.

His performance represented a 67-pound improvement over his combined total at the Men’s National Powerlifting Championships in June: evidence of Rivas’ tough training throughout the summer.

The last cadet to compete in a powerlifting world championship was Jessica Rende ’11, who placed second in her weight class in the Junior World Powerlifting Championships in Pilsen, Czech Republic, in 2010.

–VMI–