Palmview Secondary School learner, Cayden Govender, 17, has catapulted himself into the world of powerlifting history after setting a new South African record of 220.5kg for deadlifting and shattering a world record, showcasing a level of strength and determination that left spectators in awe.
His record-breaking feats were the centrepiece of the AWPC Powerlifting SA Nationals at the Onomo Hotel in Durban, recently. Govender’s extraordinary performance not only highlighted his remarkable talent but also redefined the boundaries of the sport.
Speaking about his record-breaking lift, the teenager, who weighs 69kg, told the Phoenix Tabloid that he was competing in the under-75kg division for athletes aged 16 to 17, where he made history with a 140kg squat, a 100kg bench press, and a phenomenal 220.5kg deadlift.
“I qualified for the national competition after my performance at the Clash of the Titans provincial competition. My sports journey, however, started with karate, where I dedicated 10 years and achieved a first Dan black belt, and later moved on to powerlifting which was my father’s spontaneous decision,” said Govender
Reflecting on his achievements, Govender said breaking the world deadlifting record would have seemed impossible two years ago, however, achieving this in his second competition made him realise what he is capable of
“I owe it all to my dad, if not for him I would not even have known that I could have achieved a world record. His motivation, his support in the gym, and his talks about what I am capable of, I owe everything to him and my main goal is to make him and my family proud in whatever I do,” said the teenage powerlifter.
Despite his success, Govender said there have been challenges as his matric year limits him to the gym twice a week, however, he has continued to train at home on off days to stay ahead. “I will take it step-by-step because everything can only work one step at a time. My next step is to enter the world championships next year which is going to be held in Cape Town. I was going to enter it this year but due to my matric finals I will not be able to,” he added.
Govender shared that he has learned numerous lessons from weightlifting which included patience and the importance of consistency. “Without consistency, you will never see results. This is why you should never give up and rather wait a bit. That way not instantly but eventually results will appear.” he shared.
The Palmview Secondary School learner encouraged those interested in powerlifting to do thorough research about the sport “as it can push you to your limit”.
“Developing a strong mentality is crucial. Your mind gives up 100 times before your body does. This means you will have to develop an extremely strong and impenetrable mentality if your goal is to win,” said Govender.
His father, Devin Govender, said: “I was the proudest father in the room, especially since it was only Cayden’s second competition. His dedication to fitness and powerlifting is extraordinary. Next year, we aim for the world championships in South Africa. I hope Cayden will break more records and become a world champ. He is also starting university to study Sports Management, and we wish him success in both his sport and career.”
The proud father said the family has learned a lot from Cayden’s dedication, as his other son, Damien, has excelled in the art of karate. “Sports are vital for kids, opening doors like university scholarships, which Cayden has achieved through his sporting success,” he said.
