This year’s IPF World Championships to be held this week in Stavanger, Norway, will feature several well established Massachusetts powerlifters. The lifters include Luis Jaimes of Roslindale, Joe Cappellino of South Boston, Liane Blyn of Southwick, and Sue Elwyn of Western Massachusetts. Michael Zawilinski, Strength and Conditioning coach for Northeastern University, will also be present as a coach for Team USA.
Luis Jaimes rose to prominence in the Massachusetts powerlifting scene late in his collegiate career at Northeastern University (Boston, MA), culminating in a 2nd place finish at the 2012 USAPL Collegiate Nationals in the 242 lb weight class. Most recently Luis placed 2nd in the 2012 Junior Bench Worlds with an impressive 262.5 kg/578.7 lb bench. He is looking to garner more international attention in Norway this year.
Joe Cappellino, founder of thepowerlifting program at Northeastern University, is headed to Stavanger following his recent win at USAPL Men’s Nationals in the 120+ kg weight class. He is seeking to upset the dominance exerted upon the international powerlifting scene by Eastern European lifters. Joe currently holds numerous state, collegiate, and junior records with the USAPL. At the 2013 USAPL Men’s Nationals, Joe made his third attempt squat (410 kg/903.9 lb) look incredibly easy and it will be interesting to see what numbers he can put up against an international competition. Joe is currently part of Team Quest.
Liane Blyn, an owner of a local athletic center in Holliston, MA, looked very good at the 2013 USAPL Women’s Nationals where she placed 1st. At that meet she had an impressive 220 kg/485 lb squat and 165 kg/363.7 lb bench. Liane already has international experience, having placed 3rd in the 84 kg/185 lb weight class at the IPF Women’s Nationals in Puerto Rico last year. She will again be battling for 1st with experienced lifters from Europe, but it surely be an interesting fight none the less.
Sue Elwyn is lifting in the 57 kg weight class for Team USA, having recently come off of a 3rd place finish at the 2013 USAPL Women’s Nationals. She previously finished 1st at the 2013 World Master’s Women’s Bench Press Championship, and is looking to increase her presence on the international level.
Follow mass-lift.com all week as we bring you updates live from Stavanger, Norway! Watch the meet live here http://goodlift.info/