Rich Seldal elevated local weightlifting a couple of notches by winning the five-state Senior National’s 198-pound class July 11 in Wilkesbarre, PA.

Seldal, a Sycamore resident and former member of the Power Pro Powerlifting team, bench pressed 424 pounds, squatted 655 pounds and deadlifted 661 pounds for a combined 1,740 pounds to take the meet.

“I’m a little disappointed in my total,” he said. “I had to go for the win and be conservative though.”

With the victory came a selection to the 1993 U.S. World Team, which will compete in October in Vancover, Canada.

“I had to be conservative at nationals, but at world (competition) I’m just going to let it go,” he said. “I think I’ll win it.”

Also on the U.S. World Team are such nationally recognized powerlifters as Steve Scialpi, Ed Riley and Bull Stewart.

Seldal becomes the first DeKalb powerlifter to ever compete on the World Team.

“We have a lot of strong men in town,” he said. “Body building comes from the college. Powerlifting’s been around here awhile.”

Both the Senior Nationals and world meets are supported by the American Drug Free Powerlifting Association (ADFPA). Seldal said contestants are tested for steroids at random. If caught, the individual is banned from the ADFPA from three years to life, he said.

Jerome Cole, a former Power Pro teammate of Seldal’s, said Seldal worked hard and earned his success.

“I’m glad someone on the powerlifting team went that far,” he said. “I wish him good luck.”

Although he’s only been competing in powerlifting for about a year, Seldal has compiled an impressive record. He won the Indiana Omni 41 Classic in November of 1992, placed third in the 1992 Illinois Bench Press Open in December, won the Illinois State Championship in January, won the St. Charles Bench Press competition in March and won the Viking Open in May. He has competed at 198 pounds in all of these.

“I’d like to thank my wife and kids,” Seldal said. “They’ve really supported me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

According to Paul Wright, owner of Fourth Street Fitness where Seldal trains, Seldal is handling success quite well.

“Rich is a very nice kid, very humble,” he said. “He doesn’t go around bragging. He always tries to help others out.”

“We have a lot of strong men in town. Body building comes from the college. Powerlifting’s been around here awhile.”

Rich Seldal, local powerlifter