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A Historical Recollection of Weightlifting in South Australia by Jeff Thompson, President South Australian Weightlifting Association (SAWLA) 2007-2008.
The Australian Weightlifting Federation was founded in 1920 and although no record is presently available reference in a copy of the British magazine Superman around 1939 indicated that after a lapse of some time an association was again formed around 1932. So a South Australian Weightlifting Association could have been in existence in the 1920’s. Some evidence of weightlifting activity prior to the 1920’s is currently available through an article written in Iron Man magazine in the 1950’s by Mark Lewis from Melbourne a regular feature writer of the time.
The article has reference to Adelaide resident Reginald Gordon Shorthose 1880-1966 who was a well known physical culture teacher and physiotherapist who had professional rooms in the city. He lived in Myall Ave in Kensington Gardens. Reference is made to Reg Shorthose’s early activities as a weightlifter. He was active as far back as pre 1906 when he was featured in a photo with the famous Aaron Beattie of Melbourne and Otto Arco (Poland). Otto Arco was world famous at the time as he was touring Australia with Wirths Circus as an acrobat. For over forty years Reg did a mile run each morning as part of his fitness regimen. Back in 1912 he officially recorded such lifts as Clean and Jerk 242 lbs at 134½ lbs bodyweight, 177 lbs One Hand Clean and Jerk, 194 lbs Two Hands Military Press and 192 lbs Bent Press. To prove that lifting did not impair his agility on his 50th birthday The Advertiser/News carried photos of him jumping over his rover car off a low board. For many years he was a familiar sight on the beach at Glenelg practicing tumbling and hand balancing with a number of his students including 1947 Mr. Australia Bob Human.
With the formation of the new association in 1932 it gave the enthusiasts of the time an added impetus to train and compete. One of the most prominent weightlifting figures of the time was Allan G. Williams 1907-1984. As a young man of eighteen years Williams undertook a course of exercise instruction from Earle Liderman who at the time was the most famous mail order physical culture instructor in the world. Liderman who operated out of New York City also had an office in Manchester England. Williams made considerable progress under Liderman and it formed the basis for his life long passion for all forms of weightlifting and overall physical culture. In 1932 Williams entered his first competition which comprised of three lifts, Right Hand Swing, Two Hands Clean and Jerk and the Two Hands Deadlift. In the competition he lifted 114 ½ lbs in the Right Hand Swing which was a new Australian Record. Clean and Jerked 190 lbs and Deadlifted 414½ lbs for a new Australian record. Williams won the competition from his six other rivals. A wonderful start to his lifting career. Williams in subsequent years entered many competitions and during World War 2 served with the Royal Australian Air Force. After the war Williams continued with his weightlifting activities and was appointed to the position of Physical Director of the Adelaide YMCA which was situated in Gawler Place. During his years at the YMCA he had a great impact on the lives of the many young South Australians who trained there during the 1940’s and 1950’s. Williams eventually left the YMCA and opened his own gymnasium the Allan Williams Health Centre at 34 Gilles Street Adelaide.
Another important figure in the history of South Australian Weightlifting was Tom Joseph Wigley (1912-2001). Tom was a pharmacist by profession and was an active lifter over many years in the 1940’s and 1950’s being four times winner of the South Australian Featherweight Championship, three times winner of the South Australian Lightweight Championship, twice runner in the Australian Featherweight Championship. He was also an International referee from 1951 to 1960. However, it was as a sports administrator the Tom created his greatest impact. His list of positions in this area was indeed impressive. In the following I will list a few of Tom’s impressive appointments. In the Australian Olympic Federation, Tom was a member of the Organizing Committee 1956 Olympic Games Melbourne. Australian British Commonwealth Games Association member of the Executive 1946-1956. Honorary Secretary/Treasurer of SA Division 1956-1970. South Australian Olympic Council, Honorary Secretary 1953-1968. Australian Amateur Weightlifters Federation President 1952-1957. South Australian Amateur Weightlifters Association President 1951-1961. Life Memberships, South Australian Amateur Weightlifters Association, Australian Amateur Weightlifters Federation. South Australian Olympic Council.
I first became interested in weightlifting in 1957-1958 and remember a vibrant and active association which seemed to hold competitions on a regular basis. One of the most important office bearers of the fifties was Max Keipert who was Secretary of the South Australian Weightlifting Association and may have been President too. During the time of Max’s involvement I was very young so I don’t have many strong recollections of his impact on the sport during his time in office. However it was a very significant and a very important contribution to the history of South Australian Weightlifting. Max did produce a historical document of the history of weightlifting in Australia and possibly South Australia too. As of the present time this history is not available. It is possible that it may be located at some time in the future.
Other figures of the time who were active lifters were Emil Lachs, Gunther Lachs, Peter Stasinopoulos, Victor Maio, Mick Esposito, Peter Mc Nally, Andy Sterns (youngest South Australian 19 years to Clean & Jerk 300 lbs), Dr David Bowman and Robin Algate. The late Cornel Wilczek (11/1/1945 - 21/10/1988) created a considerable impact in South Australian Weightlifting in the time leading up to the Olympic Games Rome 1960. Cornel has been coached by Allan Williams at this gym in Gilles Street and lifted at the Australian Championships in 1959 held in conjunction with a Mr. Australia contest at the Tivoli Theatre in Grote Street. He was the strongest man in South Australia. He also lifted at a Mr. Olympic contest at Ross Davies Olympic Gym just before leaving as part of the Australian Team to compete in the Olympic Games Rome 1960. Australia had one other representative in the heavyweight Category the late Arthur Shannos who finished 9th with Cornel Wilczek coming in at 11th place.
Another great South Australian weightlifter was Ron Modra who competed in both Power and Olympic Weightlifting during his long lifting career which spanned more than two decades during the 1960’s and 1970’s and beyond. Ron moved around a lot and actually started his lifting in Newcastle New South Wales then moved to Victoria and South Australia where he was involved in furniture manufacturing business and a gymnasium on South Road and published a magazine titled Power Digest which had a very short life and only lasted for about 3 issues. Ron moved away from South Australia many years ago and lived in Dorrigo in northern New South Wales for a period and moved overseas to Chile (Santiago).
Over the many years of my involvement with Powerlifting and Weightlifting I have seen many lifters come and go from the scene. As we are a Olympic Weightlifting organization I will concentrate on lifters from that discipline. During the 1970’s and the 1980’s two lifters stand out as durable and consistant over many years. The first lifter is Courtney Boyce who commenced his Olympic Lifting training at Fox’s Gym in 1963. After a year or two of solid work he decided it was time to start to compete and around 1965-1966 he entered his first Olympic Lift contest. His dedication to the discipline continued until he decided to move over to Powerlifting which he had been competing in since 1968. His last Olympic contest was at the National Championships in Port Lincoln in 1977. His Powerlifting continued to 1988. Courtney’s best lifts in the old three Olympic lifts were Press 97.5 kilos, Snatch 85, 87.5 Clean and Jerk 120 (this was a double bodyweight lift!) He competed at the 60 kilo level (Featherweight). His consistent lifting was indeed amazing and was a wonderful example to all those who competed during that era.
The other lifter was Graham Rodger Sims born August 14th 1945 at Kyancutta situated right in the middle of Eyre Peninsula. It was as a 13-14 year attending Wudinna Primary School that he started to become interested in getting bigger and stronger. He would lift truck tyres, bricks, power axels or really anything with some weight on it which in turn led him to purchase some proper weights from St Clair Youth Centre Woodville (Norm Harrison) in 1960 when he was 15-16 years old. The set cost Graham £40 pounds and they were sent by ship to Port Lincoln and onto Kyancutta by rail. Graham eventually moved to Adelaide and attended his first gym the American Health Studios in Hindmarsh Square and two weeks later entered a Strength Contest at Peter Mc Nally’s Health Gym. In the following lifts, Press Behind Neck Barbell Curl, Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift Graham was a tenacious competitor who even helped lifters while he was competing. His like has not been seen since. During his long career he won some six State Olympic titles and thirty Powerlifting titles. In the two disciplines Graham competed as an Olympic Lifter from 1966 to 1980 and a Powerlifter from 1966 to 1992. His best lifts were Snatch 100 kilos, Clean and Jerk 124 kilos, Press 100 kilos, Squat 232.5 kilos, Bench Press 155 kilos, Deadlift 240 kilos.
During 1980 two separate associations were formed from the South Australian Weightlifting Association which held competitions for both Powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting. The Powerlifting Association had its own direction while the Weightlifting Association came under the direction of Port Lincoln educator Leon Holme. Holme was responsible for starting weightlifting in the Port Lincoln area and when he moved to Adelaide he continued to promote and develop the sport in a number of locations in the Adelaide area. In due course his powerful determination for the sport to grow and develop was shown nationally and around the world when he coached Dean Lukin to win the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984. This was the ultimate high that Australian Weightlifting has ever seen.
Around the mid 1980’s the association appointed Victorian weightlifter Richard Crump to the position of Executive Director The South Australian Weightlifting Association Incorporated (SAWLA). The association was also fortunate to locate the weightlifting gym at the South Australian Sports Institute Valetta Road Kidman Park. During his time in office Crump generated considerable enthusiasm for the sport as he was both a very capable sports administer and a weightlifting coach of considerable repute. He coached Chris Rae to the Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2006 and numerous other champions including Sam Davis and Jade Leslie who were two of the most talented lifters ever produced by the South Australian Weightlifting gym. In time Crump’s position was downgraded as funding was withdrawn but the association was fortunate to retain Crump’s services until he retired from the sport in June 2006.
Chris Burden a talented lifter and coach was a considerable asset to SAWLA. He was the most successful recruitment/talent officer the association has had in its employ. He lifted for many years and won numerous South Australian and Australian Championships in the lighter bodyweight categories. He was also a very talented sports administration officer and held numerous positions within the association. He retired from the sport in early 2006.
In recent times the association has endured some difficult times with serious issues concerning the coaching and administration areas. Despite these problems the association has remained strong due in large part to the considerable and protracted amount of administration and financial work undertaken by the Edge and Pascoe families. John and Pauline Edge and Dean and Debbie Pascoe.
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