Australian Powerlifting Union

The Australian Powerlifting Union or APU, is the Australian national International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) affiliate for the sport of Powerlifting.[1] Formed in 2018[2] after Powerlifting Australia was removed from the IPF after Robert Wilks (president of Powerlifting Australia) was not re-elected to the IPF Executive Committee,[3][4] the APU has hosted local-, state-, national- and international-level competitions.[5]

Australian Powerlifting Union
SportPowerlifting
JurisdictionAustralia
AbbreviationAPU
Founded2018 (2018)
AffiliationInternational Powerlifting Federation
Affiliation date2018
Regional affiliationOceania / Asia
HeadquartersQueensland, Australia
PresidentSean Muir
Board membersSean Muir, Scott Peisley, Maxwell Bristow, Lin Donevska
CEOSean Muir
Vice president(s)Scott Peisley, Maxwell Bristow
SecretaryAdelaide Chang
Official website
powerlifting.org.au
Australia

History

The APU was established on 08 January 2018 by Sean Muir, David Cheung, Cameron Whittington and Scott Peisley.[2]

The APU was granted provisional status by the IPF in January 2018, before being accepted as a full member at the 2019 IPF General Assembly.[6]

First Competition

The first competition hosted by the APU was the 2018 Bristow Open,[5] named after Maxwell Bristow, a multiple World Record holder and currently the APU Director of Diversity and Inclusion.[2]

First National Competition

The first national championship hosted by the APU was the inaugural National Equipped Powerlifting and Bench Press championship, held on 15 July 2018 in Penrith, NSW.[5] Thirty lifters from across Australia participated.[7]

First International Competition

As of 2023, the Australian Powerlifting Union has hosted two international competitions, the first being the 2018 Oceania Regional Powerlifting Federation (ORPF) championships, held in Queensland from 24 to 25 November 2018, with 83 entries from Oceania countries including Australia, New Zealand, Nauru and Papua New Guinea (and others).[8]

Inclusion

The Australian Powerlifting Union provides opportunities for adaptive, disabled and Special Olympics athletes to participate. A separate Special Olympics category is provided,[9][10][11] as well as a 'choice' division[12] allowing athletes to complete some or all of the Squat, Bench Press or Deadlift. It is also possible for adaptive and special olympics athletes to compete alongside open category lifters, such as when the APU sent an athlete with Down Syndrome to the World Master's Championships in 2022, where he received Bronze medals for Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift and Total.[13][14]

APU Structure

Committees

The APU is headed up by a board of directors and a number of executive and non-executive committees.[15] The APU has a presence in every state and territory except the Northern Territory. Excluding vacancies, each state and territory has the opportunity to be represented on these committees, who work independently of the board of directors for day-to-day management of the APU.[15]

Australian Powerlifting Union Ltd. is Limited by guarantee and registered with ASIC.[16]

Recognition

International. The APU has been recognised as a full member by the IPF since 2019.[6] The IPF itself is a member of the International Olympic Committee recognised Global Association of International Sports Federations, now known as SportAccord.[17]

National. The APU is not fully recognised by the Australian Sports Commission[18] but note that it is one of their goals in their 2022 AGM Minutes.[12]

Sport Integrity

Anti-Doping

The Australian Powerlifting Union is a drug-tested federation and does not condone or allow the use of performance enhancing drugs. The APU has adopted Sport Integrity Australia's national anti-doping policy,[19] and the International Powerlifting Federation is a signatory to the World Anti Doping Agency code.[20]

Sport Integrity Australia and the Australian Powerlifting Union conduct In-Competition Testing (ICT) and Out-of-Competition Testing (OCT) in accordance with the national anti-doping policy.[19]

All sanctions are published by Sport Integrity Australia.[21]

Other Sport Integrity Policies

As well as an anti-doping policy, the Australian Powerlifting Union has policies to manage the following Sport Integrity Australia areas:

  • Member protection - including child protection, social media, codes of behaviour and complaints
  • Competition manipulation and sports gambling
  • Privacy
  • Referee Code of Conduct
  • Coaching[22]

Competition Rules and Qualifying

The APU follows the powerlifting rules of competition as prescribed by the IPF.[23] Some leeway is granted for first time lifters, Special Olympics or adaptive athletes lifting under Choice events.

Qualifying

APU lifters must compete at local, state and national level in order to qualify for international championships, ensuring they meet the minimum qualifying total for the next level of competition at each stage.

International Competition

As a member of the IPF, the APU is invited to send teams to regional and world championship events. The APU is a member of:

The APU sends teams to regional and world championships, such as[27]

  • IPF World Classic Championships
  • IPF World Equipped Championships
  • IPF Junior (14-23) Championships
  • IPF Masters (40+) Championships
  • Asia Region / Asia Pacific Championships
  • Commonwealth Championships
  • The Arnold Sports Festival[28]
  • The FISU University Games

Notable Lifters

The Australian Powerlifting Union has multiple world record holders, including:

  • Max Bristow - Men's Masters 3 (60-69) -66kg Equipped Deadlift (235.5kg)[29]
  • Max Bristow - Men's Masters 4 (70+) -66kg Equipped Deadlift (210.0kg)[30]
  • Helen Allen - Women's Masters 2 (50-59) -57kg Deadlift record (183kg)[31]
  • Bethany Parker - Sub-Junior (14-18) Women -84kg Classic Total (481.5kg)[32]
  • Ewan Belgrove - Sub-Junior (14-18) Men -83kg Classic Squat (290.0kg)[33]
  • Peta Day - Masters 3 (60-69) Women -84kg Classic Deadlift (160kg)[34]
  • Natalie Laalaai - Open Women 84+kg Classic Deadlift (268kg)[35]

See also

References
  1. "Australian Powerlifting Union Ltd". Australian Powerlifting Union. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. "History". Australian Powerlifting Union. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  3. English, Nick (28 November 2017). "Powerlifting Australia And Robert Wilks Are Out Of The IPF". BarBend. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  4. "Women in sport: How one woman's story shook powerlifting and toppled its most influential figure". 14 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  5. "Results". Australian Powerlifting Union. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. Meeting Minutes - IPF General Assembly (PDF) (Report). International Powerlifting Federation. 2019.
  7. "2018 APU National Equipped Powerlifting and Bench Press". openpowerliftng.org. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  8. "Results". Oceania Regional Powerlifting Federation. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  9. "Star athlete and diversity advocate, Adam influences positive change". National Disability Insurance Scheme. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  10. "Sport & Competition - Special Olympics Australia". Special Olympics Australia. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  11. "Powerlifter with Down Syndrome set sights on Commonwealth Games, aiming to inspire". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 December 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  12. "Documents". Australian Powerlifting Union. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  13. "Special olympics gold medallist guiding next generation". Special Olympics Australia. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  14. "Who's Who in 2022, Sport: Martin Smith". Moreton Daily. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  15. "Executive and Non-Executive Committee". Australian Powerlifting Union. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  16. "Australian Securities & Investments Commission". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  17. "Members Approve Dissolution of GAISF at Extraordinary General Assembly". Global Association of International Sports Federations. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  18. "Australian Sports Directory". Australian Sports Commission. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  19. "Sports with an Anti-Doping Policy". Sport Integrity Australia. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  20. "Code Signatories". World Anti Doping Agency. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  21. "Current Sanctions". Sport Integrity Australia. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  22. "Inside Sport Integrity". Australian Powerlifting Union. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  23. "Technical Rulebook" (PDF). International Powerlifting Federation. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  24. "Asia - International Powerlifting Federation". International Powerlifting Federation. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  25. "Asian Powerlifting Federation". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  26. "Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  27. "IPF Calendar". International Powerlifting Federation.
  28. "Arnolds". International Powerlifting Federation.
  29. "World Masters 3 Men's Equipped Records". Goodlift.info. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  30. "World Masters 4 Men's Equipped Records". Goodlift.info. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  31. "World Masters 2 Women's Equipped Records". Goodlift.info. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  32. "World Sub-Juniors Women's Clasic Records". Goodlift.info. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  33. "World Sub-Juniors Men's Clasic Records". Goodlift.info. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  34. "World Masters 3 Women's Clasic Records". Goodlift.info. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  35. "World Open Women's Clasic Records". Goodlift.info. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
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