By Tom Momberg
Baysider Andrew Spyridon-Tow, 17, broke the teenage world record for deadlifting during the Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate meet in Strong Island, L.I., earlier this month. Spyridon-Tow lifted 550 pounds on his third of three deadlift attempts.
RPS is a league for competitive powerlifting in the United States.
The deadlift requires the athlete to bend at the knees, with legs shoulder width apart, while maintaining good posture, and then grip a barbell with a heavy weight. Using his or her legs, the athlete is then required to pull up the bar, keeping arms and back straight.
Spyridon-Tow, a recent graduate of Holy Cross High School in Flushing, has been weight-training throiugh his teenage years, but went to his first two RPS meets in March and earlier this month. He shattered more than one record.
After breaking the teenage world record for deadlift at his most recent meet, Spyridon-Tow went for the 550-pound deadlift on his third attempt, and achieved a new personal best.
He broke three world records for his age and weight class for the meet that day, competing against 18- and 19-year-old men. In addition to the deadlift, he shattered the world record for what RPS calls the Amateur Raw Classic division with 455 pounds on his squat, as well as the record for the combined total of his best lifts for squat, deadlift and bench press with 1,315 pounds.
The Holy Cross graduate and up-and-coming athlete said he has been involved with sports his whole life, from football and soccer, to hockey, basketball and track and field.
“I played about every sport out there, but I’ve always been getting hurt during football season,” Spyridon-Tow saidd. “I still had to keep going and continued to go to the gym, so I just began thinking football wasn’t for me, because I couldn’t afford the injuries.”
Spyridon-Tow was planning to attend SUNY Buffalo State to play football, but his more recent injuries influenced him to favor his personal fitness over playing the game. He said he would take a semester off to consider his options, and probably attend college in the spring for nutritional sciences.
In the meantime, Spyridon-Tow said he would just try to keep getting stronger and bigger, as well as continuing to explore the world of Powerlifting, because he is already quite advanced for his age, not yet fully realizing his potential.
“I love competing. I would love to do this in college and compete for higher records and team records,” he said. “I want to push myself more and see what’s next.”
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
