71 years young for Dapto ironman

Breitsameter, who turned 71 on Thursday, can lay legitimate claim to being the world’s strongest man over 70 after collecting three gold medals and breaking three world records at the Global Powerlifting Association world championships in Athens Georgia earlier this month.

He secured the triple of titles in the 70-74 years divison with a 122.5kg bench-press, a 155kgs deadlift and a combined 272.5kg lift in the push-pull category. 

They’re numbers that men of any age would be proud of let alone one in his seventies who barely 12 months ago underwent knee replacement surgery that proved the catalyst for his return to the sport.

‘‘I actually used to powerlift in the 80s,’’ Breitsameter

‘‘I was state champion in 1985 in the opens and in the age division.

‘‘I could obviously lift a hell of a lot more then than I do now.

‘‘I used to bench 145 [kgs], I squatted 265 and I could deadlift 245.’’

Breitsmeter enjoyed a close to 30-year hiatus from the sport before injuries suffered while horseback riding prompted a return the to gym.

‘‘I got out of it for a while after I got married,’’ Breitsameter said.

‘‘I have horses as well so I got more involved in that.

‘‘I had a couple accidents on horseback and I thought I’d better go and get a little bit more physically fit so I started going to the gym again.

‘‘Plus I had a total knee replacement last year and the doctors told me exercise would be good for it to strengthen everything around it so that’s what I did.’’

Breitsameter eased himself back into competition lifting through a local novice contest before picking up the state and national titles in the overall masters division this year en route to Worlds in the USA.

He said he’ll only enjoy a brief break before he resumes his usual regimen of four sessions a week.

He has no plans to give the sport away.

‘‘I’ve got a set up at home myself but I train four nights a week at a gym as part of the local Rock Solid powerlifting group who’ve been really supportive of me,’’ he said.