That’s what James Spurgin just pulled off during his recent participation in his first weightlifting meet. The powerlifter, strongman, Olympic lifter, and CrossFit athlete—who lost the use of his right arm in a motorcycle accident—showcased his lifting prowess at the event at which he successfully completed a 64-kg (141lb) snatch and a 71-kg (156.5lb) clean and jerk.
While Spurgin admitted that neither lifts at the weightlifting meet were his PR’s, they did represent his competition best. In the gym, however, the inspirational athlete has previously raised the bar on those numbers with a 71kg snatch and a 75kg clean and jerk.
Along with his successful performance at the event, Spurgin also earned the award of ‘Most Inspirational Lifter’ according to Columbus Weightlifting. Hard to imagine anyone out-dueling him for that honor.
Spurgin also drew a lot of attention during his performance at last year’s Arnold Classic Disabled Competition at the Arnold, during which he loaded a 150lb stone, 180lb stone, then lapped the 200lb at the brutal Atlas stone loading event.
With a passion for lifting and a drive to push the limits, we expect to see plenty more inspirational performances from Spurgin in the coming years. In the meantime, you’ll likely find him training at the local gym for his next big event.
