photo by Nick Gerhardt

Albert Lea High School alumunus Tom Guiney holds a trophy he won at the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters Midwest Regional.

Albert Lea alum competes for deadlifting title

Published Friday, July 18, 2008

Albert Lea alumnus Tom Guiney recently earned a spot in the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters world championships after deadlifting 573 pounds in St. Louis Park.

The lift qualified the 41-year-old, who now resides in Oklahoma, for the world competition which will take place Nov. 12-17 in Las Vegas. There were more than 700 competitiors at the last world championship event in Anaheim, Calif., Guiney said.

It was yet another honor for Guiney who already owns three world titles, four national championships and 10 state championships.

Guiney earned those titles as a super heavyweight, but has now dropped down to the 308 weight class and believes he will be even more effective.

“I train as much as I can,” Guiney said. “I just go back to buisness as usual.”

Guiney started lifting when he was 16 and said he got addicted to the sport. His personal best is a lift of 661 pounds, which he set in November last year at the World Championships.

Guiney was a hockey player during his prep career and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1985.