Darren Gardiner Roars to Victory

Friday March 5 2010

Australian Paralympians Darren Gardiner delivered a very impressive performance on his way to securing victory at the

Australian Powerlifting Championships in Brisbane on the weekend.

The event carried extra significance as it also doubled as a Commonwealth Games trial, so the Gardiner and the rest of

Australia’s leading Paralympic powerlifters were keen to perform at their best.

In the Men’s category, Gardiner from Western Australia took the overall national crown with his best successful lift of

230.0 kg.

It was enough to give to three-time Paralympian known as “Bear” yet another national crown after his lift was deemed to be

the best based on the event’s factor system which takes into account each athletes’ total body weight compared to their

best lift.

Weighing in at 120 kilorgrams, Gardiner’s winning lift garnered a score of 180.43.

Queenslander Leigh Skinner took the silver medal competing in the 82.5 kilogram class, when he completed a successful lift

of 160.0 kg to give him a score of 148.18.

NSW’s Cameron Whittington, competing in the 100kilogram class, claimed bronze with his 170.0 kg lift that gave him an

overall score if 145.22.

In the Women’s division, Deahnne McIntyre (97.96 points) from the ACT competing in the 82.5+ Class finished first with a

 lift of 132.5 kg on her third attempt. McIntyre defeated QLD’s Lisa Mahoney (62.98) whose best lift in the in the 67.5kg

class was 67.5 kg.