Bob works to maintain his State bench press title

Bob Everett at the Hartsville YMCA on a Sunday afternoon training for the upcoming Words Have Weight USA Powerlifting Bench Press in Masters Category 4 – the 70-79 100kg weight class

It was back in December of 2020 that Bob Everett last competed in a Powerlifting competition where he earned first place in his age/weight class division. He will be competing on Saturday, September 17 in Columbia to maintain the title. He hopes to add even a few more kilograms to the winning lift. Bob has been working since January 2022 with his workout partner, Billy Johnson, at the Hartsville Y to refine his technique and to train a bit harder to increase his lift. With COVID and some injuries behind he is optimistic going into Saturday’s competition.

Competition is one of his motivators

Bob has been doing powerlifting competitions since he turned 74, five years ago. He figures has about 12 competitions under the weight lifting belt. He has an ultimate goal to compete in Las Vegas in November 2024 when he will have turned 80.

Bob is a competitor. He was a competitor as a young high school cross country runner and went to the University of North Carolina where he ran on the Tarheels Cross Country team while an undergrad. He kept competing in runs until joint problems and surgeries forced him off the roads.

But the physical obstacles just sort of got in the way – they did not alter his competitive yearnings or competition lifestyle. He and his wife Joyce did competitive ball-room dancing for years and he still competes some as a member of the Brenda Cranford Dance Studio in Hartsville. He says he is probably mostly known for his dedication to tennis as he served for years as captain of a competitive USAA Tennis team from Hartsville. While he no longer competes with a team, he continues to play tennis every week. And he regularly works out at the Y.

Building focus for this week’s lift

While watching Bob and Billy workout it is easy to see that while Billy keeps adding the plates it is not only the weight they are working on. In the competition environment there is a set procedure – that includes the competition outfits. Messing up the procedure can quickly get a lift disqualified. So there is great deal of attention to detail. Bob does not want to predict what he will lift but his last title was won with 95kg or 209lbs.

Saturday he will listen as the official barks out START, which gives the go ahead to begin the lift and lower to the chest. Then he will hear, PRESS, giving the okay to move the weight back to the extension. Finally the official will say RACK, giving the permission to put the barbell back in the rack. All of that has to be done by the book for the lift to count. Competitors get three lifts. The competition is open to all comers and is divided by classes that account for both age and weight.

Bob is working to maintain his age group title and keep the momentum going for his 80-year old goal of lifting in Las Vegas.

Bob, who is from Charlotte, is a long-time Hartsville Y member. He retired from Human A.O. Smith where he worked in Human Resources. In addition to his competition drives, he and his wife, Joyce, are long-time members of Prospect United Methodist Church. He is also a veteran having served in Germany with the United States Army from 1966-1969.

UPDATE -- Bob won his age group in the competition the story was featuring. He was the focus of the crowd in his last lift as all in the gym were cheering "Bob, Bob. Bob" which he says was a major lift to his efforts. And, since that competition he has won another and is now set to compete for the record in the next age group Up -- the 80-year old competitors.