Newcomer of the Year Award: Runner-Up
By Eric Todd
Tony Lupo accepts his Newcomer runner-up award.
The Newcomer of the year award is described as such:
This award goes to an individual who in new to the USAWA or has become involved again. It doesn’t have to go to someone in their first year of being involved in the USAWA.
This year’s runner-up in this category is Tony Lupo. Tony is a member of Clark’s Gym. Since last year’s nationals, Tony has been very active. He started out by participating in the second quarter postal. He competed in the Clark’s Gym vs Frank’s Barbell Club Postal Challenge for the victorious Clark’s Gym. He was on hand for Clark’s birthday weekend, and he claimed runner-up honors in the Schmidt Backbreaker. Tony broke five records as part of the Memorial Record Day, and he competed in the 2022 Postal Championship. He took on the most daunting of challenges by completing all of the lifts in the Zercher Strength Classic, and was a competitor in the first quarter postal. Tony placed 6th in the Bench Press Decathlon, and traveled to Kentucky to compete in the inaugural Hackendinnie Classic. Tony has quickly gone from not being certified at all to becomming a level one certified official. As you can see, tony has had a busy, and successful, first year with the organization. this award is well deserved, Tony! congrats!