No obstacle too big for Pinoy powerlifting champ

A series of unfortunate events couldn't have stopped this champion powerlifter, dubbed as the Philippines' strongest man, from setting new records and making his country proud. Reeling from a “devastating" third-place finish in the bench press event during last year's World Open Powerlifting Championships in Canada, Enrique Rafael “Richie" Rosales admitted that he came close to quitting the sport. Rosales lifted 212.5 kilos during the World Open in Canada, just 2.5 kilos short of the first placer’s record. Rosales also figured in a car accident with his family last year, sustaining neck and back injuries which made rigorous training impossible for a period of time. The accident made him weak where he also lost weight, and Rosales says he was able to go back to the gym only after months of light training and lots of patience. And this year, just two weeks before the championships, his coach and close friend, Philippine Powerlifting Association (PPA) vice president Nick Cabalza, who was with him in the last four years, was shot dead. Shocked and enraged, Rosales promised his coach that this year, he won't settle anymore for a bronze medal finish. Gold on his 10th year And win the gold he did. Weighing in the lightest at 174 lbs, Rosales bested powerhouse lifters from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Japan and the USA by lifting 495 lbs on his first attempt. He also shattered the old Philippine record of 1595 lbs with a total lift of 1650. Rosales defeated Ukrainians Andriy Naniev and Vlodymir Rysev during the World Open Powerlifting Championship held from Nov. 2 to 7 in New Delhi, India, to become the first ever Filipino athlete to win a gold medal in the annual event that draws over 30 countries. The 32-year old Filipino-Canadian lifter marks his 10th year this year of participating in the world open. It is quite providential, he says, that he started 10 years ago in the same event also in New Delhi, finishing only at fourth place.
Rosales, a Philippine Powerlifting Team member since 1999, now holds a total of 14 national records to his name, including an Asian Open Bench Press record of 504 lbs at 174 lbs bodyweight, the heaviest lifted by a Filipino regardless of weight. He is also a Philippine Senate Commendation awardee and a two-time Philippine Sportswriter Association Citation awardee. The winning training routine Rosales, who now resides in Ortigas in Pasig City with his family, grew up in Canada. He started working out in gyms at 18 years old. After finishing college in Canada, he settled here in 1999, the same time he started to take interest in the sport of powerlifting. As he usually does, Rosales engaged in an eight-week training cycle in preparation for this year's championships, doing his routines four times a week. He reveals he divides his training days into two, one for light training and another for heavy training. For his light days, which he also considers his speed training, Rosales lifts weights at 50% of his body weight, but involving fast movements. For his heavy days, he increases the weights he lifts by increments of 10%, stopping only at 90% and peaking to 100% on the competition day itself While recovering from last year's accident, he stopped doing his regular routines and shifted to badminton, boxing, water sports and running, which helped strengthened his legs. Rosales differentiates powerlifting from weightlifting, the latter being an Olympic sport and involving only the snatching of the barbel and lifting it over the head. He explains that on the other hand, powerlifting consists of three events: a squat to strengthen abdominal muscles, bench press for the chest and shoulder muscles, and deadlift for the legs. These three routines are the staple in workout programs administered in gyms. For the moment, he's taking it easy but still engages in light training in preparation for three major competitions next year. First in Rosales’ calendar is the Philippine bench press open in March and will follow it up with the Asian Open in Mongolia in May. He ends his busy year in Philippine soil when the country hosts the 2010 World Powerlifting Open in August. Inspiration to devastated Pinoys The recent typhoons that hit the country also proved to be an obstacle in his quest for the gold. Rosales says he decided to take a week off from training to volunteer in the relief operations. This victory, thus, he dedicates not only to his coach but also to his fellow Filipinos who were affected by the recent typhoons. “I would like to set an example to the Filipinos that they can also rise from the devastation that happened in our country," said Rosales, who also struggled to move forward past the unfortunate events he encountered leading to this year's championships “Keep on moving forward. If something unfortunate happens, there must be a reason why it happened," Rosales adds. – Jerrie Abella, GMANews.TV