Hardaway crushes records, earns State Powerlifting Championship

By Alonzo Garza
& LPR Staff
POST-REGISTER

Lion powerlifter Dominique Hardaway earned a place in history on Saturday, March 28.

The junior and all-around star athlete earned first place honors in the 165-pound weight class at the State Powerlifting Championships at the Taylor County Coliseum in Abilene, shattering two Texas High School Powerl

ifting Association (THSPA) records along the way.

In 2007, Tarrant County’s Davetrain Walker, from Everman High School, set the THSPA record for the most weight lifted during a single event. In the same year, Walker tied the record for the squat: 600 pounds, set by South Garland’s Chris Caldwell in 1990. Walker’s records never saw Hardaway coming.

On Saturday, Hardaway surpassed Walker’s 1,470-pound record mightily, lifting an eye-popping 1,505 pounds.

To achieve the feat, Hardaway put up a 600-pound dead-lift, a 300-pound bench press and a record-breaking 605-pound squat.

Hardaway’s quest for the state title began at the Lockhart Lion Invitational Powerlifting Meet on Saturday, Jan. 10, when he lifted a total of 1,375 pounds. He lifted a 570-pound squat, 250-pound bench press and a 555 deadlift.

On Friday, Feb. 13, Hardaway competed at the Wurst Powerlifting Meet in New Braunfels, where he lifted a total of 1,400 pounds. He did it by lifting 585 pounds in the squat, 260 on bench press and 555 in dead-lift. His lifts earned him a spot in the THSPA Region 2, Division 1 Championships.

Regionals were held at Dripping Springs on Saturday, March 7 and once again, Hardaway improved his total lifting record. He lifted a total of 1,460 pounds with a 580-pound squat, a 290-pound bench press and a 590-pound dead-lift.

“Dominique did a great job,” Head Powerlifting Coach Richard McAdams said. “He represented Lockhart and our high school extremely well and his name is now in the record books.”

With another year left to compete at the high school level, Hardaway has plenty of time to edge closer to the final two records standing: a 365-pound bench press and a 630-pound dead-lift.

agarza@post-register.com