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thedrifter
10-31-08, 07:56 AM
Heavy lifting
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October 31, 2008 - 12:01AM
RICK SCOPPE
Sports Editor

After having little trouble bench pressing 470 pounds, Gunnery Sgt. John Wilkerson took what he called a "cocky risk" Wednesday at the Camp Geiger Bench Press Challenge. On his final lift he'd try to make it an even 500 pounds.

No big deal, right? The 6-foot-1, 245-pound Wilkerson has bench pressed 550 pounds, but that was in the gym with his buddies working out, not in a competition that drew more than two dozen Marines as well as any number of spectators.

"I was talking to the guys. I said it's different. I can go in the gym and do 500 no problem,'' said Wilkerson, 31, who is with the School of Infantry East. "You get in front of all these people and they're looking at you, and you're like, ‘Man, I hope I don't mess up.'"

Wilkerson, who is from Beckley, W.Va., admitted to "a little butterflies" as the event began, saying he was "shaking" after his first lift of 430 pounds. But after 470 pounds "went up pretty good,'' he decided to add 30 pounds to the bar.

"My buddy, David Stephens, he's like, ‘You've got it, you've got it,'" Wilkerson said. "It was a cocky risk. I came up a little short. But we'll get it next time."

Wilkerson not only won his weight class but the 470 pounds was the most lifted by any of the competitors, which included a half dozen women. The competitors were divided into weight classes, along with a master's division for those 35 years old and older. Each competitor got three lifts.

Q. Spriggs, a retired Gunnery Sergeant who's benched 505 pounds, served as the head judge, watching to make sure the competitors didn't violate the rules, which included not moving your feet during a lift as well as not bouncing the bar off your chest.

Throughout the 90-minute tournament, the Marines cheered each other on, which Wilkerson said shouldn't come as a surprise. While they were competing, it was a friendly competition among friends.

"We're all a ‘Band of Brothers.' You've heard that saying before. Just to come out and do that and support each other, it's great. We're not competing against each other. When you have somebody at the bar and you're screaming at them, ‘Push, push,' hopefully they hear you and they push a little harder,'' he said.

Wilkerson said he began lifting when he was 22 after hurting his knee and having to stop running. He lifts every day but didn't take part in last year's bench press challenge. But this time around he figured he was "pretty good" on the bench and he'd give it a shot.

"It's great. You get all the skinny guys do the running clubs. You got basketball, wrestling. They've got Semper Fit boxing and skeet shooting, but they have got nothing for power lifters and body builders. I just love it," he said. "It's great for the Marines to come out and support each other and have a good time."

Results:

Women - Under 130: 1. Stephanie Pennington (105); 130.5 and up: 1. Sondra Wagner (125), 2. Michelle Silva (85); Masters: 1. Stacy Cheshire (110), 2. Mindy Strange (95).

Men - Under 148: 1. Peter Suon (185); 149-165.75: 1. Maurice Cannon (365), 2. Alexander Johnston-McCormack (365); 166-181: Charles Stevenson (365), 2. Ronald Sarmento (335); 182-197: Nicholas Gallinot (305); 188-220: 1. Tillman Lanier (250), 2. Ron Walker (250); 220 and up: 1. John Wilkerson (470), 2. Kevin Richards (250); Masters: 185-197: 1. Frank Rodriquez (335); 220 and up: 1. Clarence Jones (405), 2. David Stephens (385).

Rick Scoppe can be contacted by calling 353-1171, ext. 8471, or e-mail at rscoppe@freedomenc.co

Ellie