Clark County weightlifters set records at meet

Led by a team from the Washington State School for the Blind, weightlifters from Clark County set records on March 15 at the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters North American Championships.

Members of the WSSB powerlifting team established 19 world records during the competition held at the Portland International Airport Shilo Inn. They competed in the WABDL’s division for lifters with disabilities that do not impact mobility. Competitors were classified according to age, weight and gender.

Two men from Battle Ground also set state records in the bench press.

Deadlift WABDL world records were set by WSSB lifters Gage Hancock-Stevens, Gabe Markstrom, Nathaniel Baker, Shane Compo, Aaliyah Gray, Ella Donaghey, Karley Patching, Erica Humphries, Alexis Payne and Abby Griffith. Bench press WABDL world records were set by Markstrom, Baker, Compo, Donaghey, Patching, Payne and Griffith.

State records were set by Juan Aguilar (dead lift and bench press), Cameron Davenport (deadlift) and Humphries (bench press).

Nin Beseda, 63, of Battle Ground set a Washington state WABDL bench press record in the 198-pound weight class for men ages 61-67. On his third attempt of the day, Beseda lifted 397.8 pounds to beat the previous record by 1.1 pounds.

Bert Hafner of Battle Ground set a state mark in the 242-pound weight class for law enforcement and firefighters with a bench press of 501 pounds. Beseda and Hafner have both held state records in multiple age and weight divisions.