Marc Alonso and Pau Rodríguez, Spanish powerlifting champions, honoured by Sagunto
Sagunto City Council has honoured Marc Alonso (825 kg, Spanish junior champion) and Pau Rodríguez (662.6 kg, subjunior champion), who have already qualified for the World and European championships in their categories.
Sagunto City Council, through its Physical Activity, Health and Sports department, has recognised the achievements of Marc Alonso and Pau Rodríguez, two powerlifters who became Spanish champions in their categories and have qualified for the World and European championships. Powerlifting is a maximum-strength sport: each athlete gets three attempts at each of three lifts, squat, bench press and deadlift, to lift as much weight as possible.
Marc Alonso won the Spanish Junior Championship (under 23), held in May in Torres de Cotillas (Murcia). He was first in the total, with 825 kg, and added two gold medals and one silver in the individual lifts. According to the council, he was also second in the overall ranking of the whole competition and broke the Spanish junior bench press record with 197.5 kg, ten kilos above the previous mark.
Pau Rodríguez won the Spanish Subjunior Championship (under 18), held in April in Humilladero (Málaga). He was first in the total, with 662.6 kg, and won all three gold medals in the individual lifts.
Both have qualified for the World Championship and the European Championship of their respective categories. The European event takes place from 3 to 13 December in Kranjska Gora (Slovenia); the council's note does not give the date of the World Championship.
At the reception were the mayor, Darío Moreno; the councillor for Physical Activity, Health and Sports, Javier Timón; and relatives of the athletes. Moreno said sport passes on values such as discipline and sacrifice, closely tied to powerlifting, and encouraged residents to be physically active: according to him, the city offers almost any discipline, so everyone can find their own. He also stressed sport's ability to build community and strengthen the social fabric.
Timón pointed out that this is the first time the city has had male successes in powerlifting, since the earlier reference was Mariola Pérez, who had already achieved important results. He thanked the two athletes for helping to raise awareness of lesser-known disciplines and argued that perseverance, work and dedication end up paying off, together with talent.
The two athletes thanked the council for the visibility these receptions give and asked local shops to echo the discipline and make it easier for those who want to start. They also insisted on the importance of doing sport beyond results.
According to Sagunto City Council and elperiodic.com.