.Rachel O’Connor (right) on the podium at the World Powerlifting Championships in Calgary.
EIGHTEEEN months ago, Rachel O’Connor decided to join a Tralee gym. Now she’s just won a Bronze medal in a World Powerlifting Championships event in Canada.
Rachel, from Knockmoyle, was in Calgary with the Irish team at the weekend taking part in the 90kg class and she came third.
She only took up the sport after visiting Dynamic Strength and Conditioning Gym on High Street, run by Tipperary native Diarmuid Brennan, in April of 2018.
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The former Kerins O’Rahillys footballer showed great potential and Diarmuid put her on a training and nutrition programme which saw her excel in national championships. All that hard work has paid off even further with Rachel’s bronze medal.
Diarmuid put up a post on the gym’s facebook page (below) congratulating Rachel and saying how proud he was of her success.
.Rachel O’Connor with coach Diarmuid Brennan at the Dynamic Strength and Conditioning centre in High Street. Photo by Dermot Crean
SHE may have only started the sport just over a year ago, but a Tralee woman is already ranked in the Top 5 internationally and off to the World Powerlifting Championships in Canada later this year.
Rachel O’Connor from Knockmoyle decided she wanted to get fitter last year and went to the Dynamic Strength and Conditioning Gym on High Street run by Tipperary native Diarmuid Brennan.
“I used to play football with Kerins O’Rahillys, but with work it proved difficult to get to training and games regularly. So in April last year a friend suggested I go to the gym,” said the 26 year old.
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“Diarmuid suggested I try a bit of weight training and he soon realised I was pretty strong. He told me about a competition in Monaghan last August so I went along and I came second. Since then he coached me and put me on training and nutrition programmes,” said Rachel who works in Woodies.
There was a World Championships qualifier in February where Rachel came first in her weight category (90kg). Since then, she also won in Cork and Dublin competitions and has been invited on the Irish team for the World Championships in Alberta, Canada from October 4-6.
Rachel is ranked joint fifth in the world for her squat and joint fourth for her deadlift in her weight category and she is improving all the time with the help of her coach.
“He saw something in me and has put a lot of work into my training. It’s all a bit mad really and I’m learning all along,” said Rachel.
Diarmuid speaks highly of Rachel and her progress in the sport. “I’m very proud of her. It’s an amazing achievement. She only came in April 2018 and started powerlifting in July so she’s only a year at it. I noticed she was very strong, she’s built for that sport. She works very hard, training six days a week so she’s very dedicated. Based on her rankings, she has a good chance in October,” said Diarmuid.
Since the Canadian trip is self-funded, to help Rachel with her expenses she’s hoping people will support her challenge with a table quiz fundraiser this Friday night in O’Donnell’s Mounthawk from 8pm.
There’s be loads of spot prizes and Diarmuid himself will be the quizmaster. Woodies staff have been a great support to Rachel as have her former teammates in Kerins O’Rahillys, so it should be a wonderful way for the local community to show their support for a Tralee woman with a great chance of bringing a World Championship medal home this autumn.
.Robert Powell who competes in the World Powerlifting Championships this autumn.
A MAN who runs a local gym in town is heading off with the Irish team to the World Powerlifting Championships this autumn.
Robert Powell is a native of County Laois who came to study Health and Leisure in the IT Tralee five years ago. He has now made Tralee his home and runs Trident Fitness on High Street.
Robert only started to take part in powerlifting competitions in the past year or so and after finishing second in a Galway meet, he qualified for the Irish team.
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He is now looking forward to being part of a 24 person team off to Virginia in the US in October. Robert will compete in the Under 90kg category.
There’s considerable expense involved in taking part as the sport is non-funded. As a result, he is holding a table quiz this Friday evening in O’Donnells Mounthawk. Teams of four are €40, there’s some great spot prizes and it all gets underway at 8.30pm.
A CAHERSLEE woman came home with three world championships trophies at the World Drug Free Powerlifting Association Tournament.
Danielle O’Sullivan made the trek over to Telford, England, with over 500 other competitors from around the world.
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Danielle O’Sullivan, with the three trophies she won at the World Drug Free Powerlifting Association Championships in England. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
“I was delighted with the wins, it was an amazing experience,” said Danielle.
“My family are delighted with the achievement and I’d like to thank everyone for their well wishes. The support has been amazing” she said.
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The special needs assistant in St Ita’s and St Joseph’s secondary school, won first prize in the 80kg bench category, second in the squat 117.5kg and came third in the deadlift 140kg.
She was also part of the Ireland team, which brought 100 competitors to tournament and won Best Country.
It’s been an incredible rise by Danielle in the world of powerlifting, as only last year, she took up the sport when she was introduced to it while training in the ‘Crossfit’ gym in Monavalley.
“I was always kind of strong so that’s what attracted it to me. The people in the gym in ‘Crossfit’ have been amazing,” she said.
Danielle, is already setting her sights on the European Championships in Italy, in September, where she’ll be looking to add Euro honours to her World title.
