Tag Archives: Steve Andrews

World Best Lifters

By Al Myers

At the 2019 IAWA World Championships there were many great lifters in attendance!  The competition was fierce, but in the end only ONE lifter is crowned as the overall best lifter of the meet.  I knew it was going to be a close one in both the women’s and men’s divisions before the meet – and that turned out to be the case.  Today I want to recognize these two OVERALL BEST LIFTERS.  For the men’s division, the overall winner was Steve Sherwood and in the women’s division it was Elizabeth Skwarecki.   Congratulations to both of these outstanding lifters!

Elizabeth Skwarecki, the Overall Best Womens Lifter at the 2019 IAWA World Championships, receiving her award from Meet Promoter Al Myers.

Elizabeth Skwarecki, the Overall Best Womens Lifter at the 2019 IAWA World Championships, receiving her award from Meet Promoter Al Myers.

Top 3 Men's Overall Best Lifters at the 2019 IAWA World Championships (left to right): Dan Wagman 3rd, Steve Sherwood 1st, and Steve Andrews 2nd.

Top 3 Men’s Overall Best Lifters at the 2019 IAWA World Championships (left to right): Dan Wagman 3rd, Steve Sherwood 1st, and Steve Andrews 2nd.

Steve Andrews – IAWA Merit Award

By Al Myers

Steve Gardner (left) presenting the IAWA Merit Award to Steve Andrews (right)

Steve Gardner (left) presenting the IAWA Merit Award to Steve Andrews (right)

The second IAWA Merit Award of the night was awarded to Steve Andrews of England.  I have known Steve for many years, and have had the fortunate opportunity to share the platform with him several times at IAWA competitions.  Steve has always been a very complete All Round weightlifter, and is a technician in all lifts.  There’s really no lifts that he is not good at, and he ALWAYS places in the top when the points are calculated.  Past IAWA President Steve Gardner helped me out with Steve’s presentation, and gave his induction speech and presentation.  Steve G summed up Steve A’s IAWA resume perfectly, and gave a very moving speech which I would like to share in this blog.  Here it is, by Steve Gardner:

A little about Steve Andrews – 38 / 39 years in weightlifting by Steve Gardner

In 1979 Steve joined a night school for weightlifting in order to lose weight, later in 1980 he was introduced to the BAWLA All Round Scheme. (in the days before our drug free all round lifting organisation had begun) Steve, who was in his 20’s and had never been involved in sports, was surprised how much he loved the new challenge. At the Leicester club Frank Allen was always an inspiration to Steve, who also improved his ability by watching some of the other excellent technicians in all round weightlifting.

The rest is history, this multi-title winning British Champion especially enjoys his Single Arm lifting and is proud of winning the ‘best Single Arm’ title for many, many times over the years. Steve is proud of all his records and hopes to carry on lifting for as many years as his body will allow!

So Steve was lifting in All Round Weightlifting when we formed our International organisation way back in 1985, and without exception (I think) he is the only person who has lifted consistently throughout the last 33 years, even operations on elbows and stuff like that hasn’t kept him away for any lengthy periods, he is like the energiser battery bunny, he just keeps going and going. A competitor at Internationals abroad on occasions too, Steve has not missed many IAWA(UK) National events in all those years. Steve has been a referee for many years, and is always supportive and helpful to new lifters at events, always offering to help out with loading and whatever other tasks arise. Steve has become involved in the Committee work in more recent years, having held position as UK Chairman for some years now. Steve has also been active in supporting Frank Allen in running events and keeping the Leicester Club alive for many, many years too.

All in all, Steve’s dedication and unfaltering support to our beloved sport of all round weightlifting and all of those people involved therein is recognised as being outstanding, and deserving of the highest Award IAWA can present …the IAWA Award of Merit

Ladies and Gentleman I give you ‘Steve Andrews’

News from the IAWA(UK)

by Steve Gardner

IAWA(UK) British All Round Championships 2012 Tiverton, Devon – Saturday 2nd June

Steve Andrews receiving the H&S trophy from Chris Bass for outstanding lifter.

Steve Andrews retained his grip on the Health and  Strength Trophy to win the overall best lifter title at  the 2012 British Championships. He beat off the  challege from Barry Gordge who finished second  overall ahead of young Tom Perry. The lifting was  very good (see full results on results page on IAWA(UK) website).

Best Open Lifter: 1st Steve Andrews, 2nd Tom Perry, 3rd  Barry Gordge

Best Master Lifter: 1st Steve Andrews, 2nd Barry Gordge, 3rd Gary Ell

OVERALL BEST LIFTER AT THE 2012 BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS WINNER OF THE HEALTH AND STRENGTH TROPHY: Steve Andrews

Well done to Mark Rattenberry and his support team  for staging a good championships, and well done to all who took part, includiong the loaders, officials,  organisers and the loaders, with a special mention  for Axel Amos and his young assistant who loaded  for every lift!

Dino Gym Challenge

by Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT – THE DINO GYM CHALLENGE

English lifter Steve Andrews set a WORLD RECORD in the Dumbbell Clean and Jerk with a fine lift of 52.5 KG at the 2011 IAWA Gold Cup. Steve is the reigning British Single Arm Champion.

This is a meet that the Dino Gym has promoted for several years now (since 2004).  Unlike a lot of other meets in the USAWA where the same meet (with the same lifts) is done year after year, our meet is different every year with a different theme and different lifts.  Last year we promoted the VERY FIRST Old Time Strongman meet in the USAWA with great success.  We had 18 lifters take part which is the largest attended meet in the USAWA this year to date (tied with the National Championships which also drew 18 lifters).  Hopefully, this year will be just as big.  I have picked a different “theme” for this year – the SINGLE ARM CHALLENGE.   Several of our all round lifts are performed using only one arm, but never have we had just a meet made up with single arm lifts.  This will be a first in the USAWA.  Single Arm lifting is very popular in the IAWA(UK), and every year they promote the British Single Arm Championships.  This past year this meet was promoted by Frank Allen in his home town of Leicester, England (which also happens to be the site of the very first IAWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS).  The lifts contested in this meet were the one arm snatch, the one arm clean & jerk, and the one arm deadlift.  Veteran English lifter Steve Andrews won this years competition.

I have always thought this was an interesting concept for  a meet.   I have decided to add a little more to the English version, and add a couple of other all round one arm lifts.  On top of this, I thought it would make for a REALLY interesting competition if the lifter would be required to do a lift with EACH ARM.  This way the most balanced one armed lifter would win, as a lifter couldn’t just rely on their strong arm for all the lifts.  So, all together 5 lifts, but 10 events.  It will be interesting to see the poundage differences lifted between each arm for each lifter.

THE DINO GYM PRESENTS – “the single arm challenge”

 Meet Director: Al Myers and the Dino Gym,  785-479-2264

Meet Date:  Saturday, January 14th, 2012,  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location:  Dino Gym, 1126 Eden Road, Abilene, KS 67410

Sanction:  U.S.A.W.A    Memberships may be purchased on meet day.

Weigh-ins:  9:00-10:00 AM the day of the meet

Divisions:  Juniors, Women, Masters, and Open

Awards:  None

Entry: None & no entry deadline

Lifts:

Side Press – One Arm
Bench Press – One Arm
Snatch – One Arm
Clean and Jerk – One Arm
Deadlift – One Arm

(BOTH ARMS WILL BE CONTESTED IN EACH LIFT)

Registration:   Send entry to Al Myers, 1126 Eden Road, Abilene, Kansas 67410

For pdf entry form click here – DinoChallenge12

Gold Cup

by Steve Gardner

The 2011 Gold Cup

A major highlight of the 2011 IAWA Gold Cup was the IAWA(UK) Hall of Fame induction of Sam Hills and Steve Sherwood. Pictured in left picture (left to right): Steve Gardner, Frank Allen, Sam Hills. Pictured in right picture (left to right): Steve Gardner, Steve Andrews, Steve Sherwood

The lifting at this year’s Gold Cup was outstanding, the list of different lifts attempted was both varied and very interesting to witness. During the day we were treated to several attempts on lifts that were in fact the heaviest ever done in any weight class on those particular disciplines.  Junior lifter: Emily Myers (from the USA) at 19 years old, was the youngest competitor, whilst Frank Allen from England, William Wright from Scotland and Denny Habecker from the USA were the most senior competitors, all  at 69 years young. After the lifting, the banquet dinner was held at Branston Golf and Country Club, where everyone had a wonderful time, and Steve and Karen Gardner were assisted at the presentation by their Grand Son: 5 years old Dominic, who made a good job of shaking everyones hand, and when Paula asked if she could have a kiss, he simply replied ‘No’ with no expression at all (give him a few years Lol!)

The IAWA (UK) Hall of Fame 2011 Induction

The IAWA(UK) HOF  bi- annual Induction ceremony was carried out at the Awards Banquet at Branston Golf and Country Club,  following the presentation for the Gold Cup. Inductees were: Sam Hills (awards presented by Frank Allen and Steve Gardner) and Steve Sherwood (awards presented by Steve Andrews and Steve Gardner). Steve Sherwood from Hull in Yorkshire has been a great ambassador for all round lifting, and was coached by the late Harold Akrill, and trained with Clive Nevis. Many times British and IAWA World Champion, Steve has always been a master technician on the lifts, and his one hand deadlift record of 200 kilos at 70 kilos bodyweight has stood for many years. Sam Hills from Hastings in East Sussex has been trained by the great Mike Archer (inducted member). Sam has been a great supporter of all round weightlifting, and counts amongst his favourite moments in the sport, as being presented with the award for being the overall best lifter at the IAWA World Championships in Australia.

RESULTS OF THE 2011 GOLD CUP  – IAWA 2011 Gold Cup World Record Breakers