Roman Reyes Jr. smiles as he successfully lifts his final deadlift attempt of 300kg/661.3lbs during the USA Powerlifting Northwest Regional Championships in Puyallup, Washington state on Saturday.
ROMAN Reyes Jr. continues to put the NMI on the map as he won three medals at the USA Powerlifting Northwest Regional Championships in Puyallup, Washington on Saturday.
Reyes showcased his strength and control not only in his division, but in the overall event as he lifted 280kg/617.2lbs in the squat portion, 162.5kg/358.2lbs in the bench press, and 300kg/661.3lbs in the deadlift for a total weight of 742.5kg/1636.9lbs.
Reyes medaled in three categories — 1st in the 100kg Men’s Division, 1st in the 100kg Men’s Junior Division, and 3rd Overall Best Lifter out of 110 participants.
“Winning the regional championships in a stacked weight class feels amazing,” Reyes said. This was his first time to compete in the Men’s Open Division. “I am still in shock that I took the gold,” he added.
He also set a new Idaho state squat & deadlift record. “I didn’t just chip it this time — I [broke] the record by a lot. I worked hard for this,” Reyes said.
For anyone interested in powerlifting, Reyes has this advice: “Do your research on how competitions work and understand the sport itself. Lift safely and push yourself the right way. Do it with passion and you will go far.”
After a successful medal haul, Reyes now hopes to get into the USA Powerlifting Nationals, which will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“During this competition [in Puyallup], I made the qualifying total that gives me an opportunity to go against the best in the nation,” Reyes said.
