Art Montini is presented the IAWA Award of Merit
by Al Myers
Art Montini (center picture) receiving the IAWA Award of Merit. To left is the 2010 IAWA World Championships Meet Promoter George Dick, and to the right is IAWA President Steve Gardner.
One of the HIGHLIGHTS of the 2010 IAWA World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland was when Art Montini was presented the IAWA Award of Merit, a Presidential Award presented to Art by our IAWA President Steve Gardner. This is the FIRST EVER such award ever given on behalf of the IAWA, and it went to the best eligible candidate in the organization. Art has been to MOST of the IAWA World Championships since the IAWA was formed, and he ALWAYS represents himself in a dignified, professional manner that epitomizes the character of a CHAMPIONSHIP ATHLETE. Art competes like he is working a job, always focused and performing picture-perfect lifts like they’re just another “task at hand”. Don’t let his casual demeanor mislead you when he’s lifting – internally he’s as fired up as anyone else!!!
Another thing that impresses me immensely about Art is the passion he still has for lifting. Art is now 82 years old, but when you are around him it becomes obvious that he “feels” like a much younger man. I hope that I will have the same zeal for lifting that he has when I’m his age. He is a great inspiration to me and I’m sure to many others. He had no idea that he was going to be presented this award, and even when Steve was giving his intro, Art still didn’t think it was about him. I was sitting right across from him at the banquet and the look of amazement and acknowledgment upon hearing his name called was PRICELESS!!
This is for Art – every0ne in the USAWA and IAWA consider you our “father figure” in our organization who we look up to. We are EXTREMELY PROUD that you have received this AWARD OF MERIT!!!! Congratulations!!