A powerlifter from Mitchell’s Plain made a stunning comeback to the sport as he broke three Western Province records.
At the competition, which took place on the 11th and 12th of February in Paarl, Brandon Samuels, 24, took home the title of Western Province champion.
“I'm very happy and it was a lot of hard work and technique that I had to get used to again after being out for so long,” he says.
Brandon broke the records for the 245 kg squat and 270 kg deadlift, and came second in bench press (116kg). His overall total also set a new record for the open division 93 kg weight class.
The young man says the success comes after a serious injury in 2019 which put him out of action for two years.
He was diagnosed with a hernia, which he says is common in his sport, but if left untreated could turn into a life-threatening injury.
“I won't lie, I was down and out when I got the sports injury and the doctor told me that I can't do powerlifting as it will make the injury worse.
“Then I just stopped training and got heavy in terms of body weight and getting unfit. At the time I didn't have medical aid and went to the day hospital but due to Covid-19, treatment was postponed indefinitely," he says.
After nearly two years he joined the City of Cape Town’s firefighting department where he was able to obtain medical aid, and could finally receive the treatment he needed.
He says he got his coach out of retirement and started working his way back into the sport.
Coach Ebrahim Mobara who has been working with the young powerlifter since 2017 says they’ve only been training for about eight months but Brandon is very determined at each competition.
“You can’t put Brandon down,” he says. “Every competition he set a new goal, he started from the first until he broke the record.”
Brendan is no stranger to the Daily Voice; in October 2019, he returned home a champion after smashing FIVE records at the All Africa Games held in Potchefstroom.
He was also ranked the best powerlifter in SA and the second best in Africa in his division.
Brandon says he will skip the SA champs this year as he feels he is still not in top form.
“I do qualify for this year but I'm not going to go,” he adds.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za