Frank Allen – IAWA Award of Merit
by Al Myers
Frank Allen (right) receiving the IAWA Presidential Award of Merit from Steve Gardner (center) and IAWA President Al Myers (left).
It was a very exciting last weekend in Boston. One of the most important aspects of the weekend was the presentation of the IAWA Presidential Award of Merit. This the IAWA version of the “Hall of Fame”, and only goes to individuals that are extremely worthy. Only a handful have been presented this prestigious award, and this weekend included the presentation of the Merit Award to two outstanding men.
To earn this award, a person must not only have shown outstanding accomplishments in performance in All Round Weightlifting in IAWA events, but have been a major contributor in other aspects as well – such as event promotions, leadership responsibilities within the organization, and be of outstanding character.
It was an honor to be part of the induction ceremony honoring the great Frank Allen. Steve Gardner gave a very eloquent speech highlighting Frank’s illustrious career in IAWA. Frank was an original member of IAWA, and was the promoter of the VERY FIRST IAWA World Championships in 1988. He has attended practically every Worlds and Gold Cup through the years. Congrats Frank!