The absolute Estonian powerlifting champion was decided at the Kareda Parish Culture House on May 25. Although organizing the competition ate up a lot of training time, local 25-year-old Margus Silbaum had no particular trouble winning the championship title.
The Peetri-based talent squatted a 280 kg barbell, bench pressed 182.5 kg and pulled a national deadlift record of 322.5 kg. His total of 785 equals the Estonian record in the body weight class up to 100 kg. He scored 501 Wilks points.
Silver went to Raul Köster of Reval-Sport, who competes in the 82.5 class, with 690 kg (489 Wilks points), and bronze to Margus Reek of Saaremaa Jõumees, who competes in the 100 class, with 730 kg (461 pts).
Next: 4. Aivo Nurmine, Tartu Jõud 700 kg (455 pts), 5. Rain Suurkivi, Reval-Sport 700 kg (445 pts), 6. Eero Ilvest, Jõumees 620 kg (426), 7. Erki Krünmann, Ai-Petri from Järva County 630 kg (421 pts). Among the women, Marika Kütsen of Reval-Sport, who weighs 52.9 kg, competed on the bench with 182.5 kg (225 pts).
Jaan Kärner, the secretary general of our powerlifters, also praised the work of Margus Silbaum, founder of the Ai-Petri club.
“He has studied powerlifting and reached perfection. Now we see that, as a coach himself and in the role of competition organizer, he has plenty for others to take note of as well. We once hosted a Baltic match in Viljandi, but a strength contest at this level of organization had never been held in such a small place before,” Kärner said.
Silbaum himself was more or less satisfied, modestly noting that fewer lifters showed up than he had hoped: of 15 invited, only 7 + 1 woman came.
He thanked the sponsors, among them TAIGI, a company selling office supplies and computers, which took care of the entire technical side. So there were screens up, show dancers performing and the protocol running.
A competition at Western standards
How is the preparation for the World Championships going?
Last year’s World Championships silver medallist in the deadlift said he is now building a solid base. His day in Slovakia is November 16. Last year he competed in the class up to 82.5, this year he is among the 90s. I’m going for the second time and I want to make the top three, because the deadlift is still my trump card.
At the European Championships in spring, where no medals are awarded for individual lifts, Margus finished seventh. In Eskilstuna he had planned to work up gradually to 325 in the deadlift and managed 310 kg. The total came to a record 795. So a tiny thorn in his satisfaction, almost nonexistent, is what is already pushing him to prepare seriously for the autumn.
Author: Aare Kreilis
Come and train! ArtGym
