By Mark Etheridge
Kimberley strongman Ricardo Fitzpatrick has lifted his game to new levels at the Nedbank Championships for the Physically Disabled in Port Elizabeth.
Competing in the Cape Recife school hall, the ace para-powerlifter nailed a total of 172.5 kilograms.
That’s 2.5kg heavier than his previous South African record, which he recently set in Dubai.
Competing in the 88kg division, Fitzpatrick now ranks sixth in the world para powerlifting rankings. Following now for the 36-year-old, is next month’s Arnold Classic Africa in Johannesburg where he’ll be defending the bench press title he won last year.
‘One thing that I can say is that the future is looking bright in South African para powerlifting,’ said Fitzpatrick after his latest achievement.
‘The new youngsters from Northern Cape and Eastern Cape have now showed great potential for the sport which was busy taking a bit of a downward trend locally.’