In 2018, the sport of Powerlifting joined the lineup of Greater Springfield Special Olympics teams for the first time, competing in the Summer Games at Harvard University. In their first year, all six athletes earned medals and awards for their performance.

The 2019 team has grown to include eight young men; Gregory Gousy of East Longmeadow, Vincent Pirro of Feeding Hills, Chad Diclementi of Agawam, Josh Gregoire of Chicopee, Gilberto Molina of Westfield, and William Bradford, Nathan Pelletier and Angel Roman, all of Springfield.

The team is training at PowerClean Fitness (PCF) in East Longmeadow, under the guidance of PCF owner Michael Zolkiewicz, a professional Highland Games and Strongman athlete who has worked as a strength coach and personal trainer for 19 years. Joining the all-volunteer coaches this year to provide additional training expertise for the athletes is Justin Fisher, a world-class, award-winning Strongman competitor.

To raise funds to buy team gear, PCF is hosting its annual deadlifting competition “Donuts and Deadlifts” on Saturday March 30th at 9 a.m. at PowerClean Fitness, 45 Baldwin St., East Longmeadow. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Special Olympics team. Many of the Special Olympics athletes will be competing in the deadlifting, and the public is encouraged to come join in the excitement and support all the competitors – while enjoying a donut!

To enroll in the competition, call 413 526-9800. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members and $3 for spectators.

Powerlifting is one of the fastest growing sports among the six events at the games. The Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games brings more than 2,000 athletes and 1,500 volunteers from across the state to the Harvard University and Boston University campuses to compete in a variety of sporting events from swimming, track and field, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics and Powerlifting.

Special Olympics Massachusetts provides year-round sports training, athletic competition and other related programming to more than 12,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state in 296 year-round sporting competitions.