SV weightlifter wins state championship
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, March 20, 2001
WILLOW WOOD – Don’t let his size fool you.
Tuesday, March 20, 2001
WILLOW WOOD – Don’t let his size fool you. Symmes Valley’s Nathan Pinkerman is quite a powerful package.
The 5-foot-4, 145-pound Pinkerman showed his power at the state powerlifting championships held at Kenton High School as he captured the state championship.
An overall total of 1,165 pounds lifted placed Pinkerman first and gave him the 145-pound weight division state championship.
Pinkerman not only won the overall championship in his weight class, he also had the best bench at 270 pounds, the best deadlift at 435, and the best squat at 460.
"I expected to win last year, but I was second. People expected me to win this year and that pumped me up. Those boys are strong up there (in the state meet)," Pinkerman said.
A total of 39 lifters reached the state meet. Pinkerman, a sophomore, won the title on his last lift.
"One boy was close to me. My dad was keeping track of the score. The boy tied the state record in the squat and I knew I had to get in a good deadlift. That’s what pumped me up," said Pinkerman. "I had come too far to lose this year."
Pinkerman was second last year. He also qualified for the state as an eight grader and placed third.
Pinkerman said he began lifting in the eighth grade. He said weightlifting has made a dramatic improvement in his play in football and baseball. A running back and defensive end, Pinkerman was starting in the Vikings backfield until he broke a hand the third game of the season last fall.
"Weightlifting for sure has helped me at defensive end. Lifting has helped me a lot. I can really give a good forearm," Pinkerman said. "Before I started lifting, I was real scrawny. My family is real small so this helps me get ready for practice and games."