Oceania Regional Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships 2025, Black Box Theatre, Ōtautahi

20th November 2025

Started this off a week out weighing 122.9kg, so came into the meet with a water cut, gut cut, and a little lower carb run in.

Had continued my rehab work right up until the second to last day, and the lower back was feeling ok.  Not great.

Flew down to Christchurch on the day before the meet, watched some lifting and then went to my AirBnB, got some food and drinks.  Walked to venue and watched some more lifting, walked home, prepped for the next day and then tried to sleep early.

Up at 5.45am, a quick shower, uber to venue, weigh in 119.05kg.  Comfortable.  Then banana, protein bar, and 1.5L of salty fluid straight away, followed up with more carbs and some more fluids.

This is my first competition with a handler, John Stratchen.

Lifting kicked off at 8.30, with a single 12 person flight, so was going to be a reasonable quick day.  Went for a walk and started warming up.  Knocked back pre-workout and started drinking a Musashi Energy drink to keep it going.  Warmups were ok, and depth seemed fine.

Squat

Opener: 225kg - three white lights and a little wobbly

Second: 242.5kg - three white lights and I scrapped the shit out of my head on the bar

Third: 250kg - the bar was loaded for me even though the order on the screen was different, so rushed, bandaid on my head.  Two white lights and the jury didn't take it away.  Looked easier than it felt.

Equalled my PB, and maybe wasn't my max for the day but it was a good attempt.  

More drink, more energy, warmed up for bench immediately.  As there is only 20mins between lifts.

Warmed up on V2 Eleiko with original pad. 

Bench

Opener: 172.5kg - touched the rack, moved ok, Skai pad was super soft, so felt weird.  Three white lights.

Second: 178kg - ORPF M2 3lift record, took the jump slightly lower to lock this in, Three white lights.

Third: 185.5kg - ORPF M2 3lift + bench only record, larger jump, John pushed me up from my 182.5 to the 185.5, which was hard, but got there.  Three white lights.

Straight into warming up for deadlifts.  These felt a bit rough, which is quite normal.  More Musashi. 

Deadlifts

Opener: 260kg - ORPF M2 Record.  Moved fine.  Left me with lower back pain.  Three white lights.

Second: 277.5kg - ORPF M2 Record.  Moved ok, but lower back was not happy.  Three white lights.

Third: 285kg - all in for ORPF M2 record plus the ORPF M2 total record.  Nope.  Three reds. 

That left me with 

Total: 713kg

A good performance.  My fourth meet at or above 700.  Not where I wanted to be, but take what I can get after messing the back up.  That sets a good base level.

So I ended as 

Oceania Regional Powerlifting Champion M2 120kg, agaist two other competitors.

I set three ORPF records

M2 3lift Bench record at 185.5kg

M2 Bench Only record at 185.5kg

M2 3lift Deadlift record at 277.5kg

The New Zealand mens team won the M2 category. 

I totalled 2kg less than the third place getter in the open, and 9.5kg under the second.  I would have placed second in open bench, third in open deadlift.

Time for a break from heavy work, diet a wee bit and work on stepping up the squat by a lot for next nationals.  1-3 May in Tāmaki Makaurau.