The inaugural edition of Iron Island was held last week at the BMX Warehouse in Pembroke, marking the first international competition organised by the Malta Powerlifting Association.

A total of 73 lifters from seven different countries took part in the competition, with Maltese athletes producing a series of impressive performances.

Veteran Maltese lifter Lorna Cachia secured third place on the women’s podium with a GL score of 89.14 points.

Belgian lifters Aurélie Van Nuffelen and Lieze Vancoillie completed the podium, scoring 89.96 and 95.04 GL points respectively.

Cachia also set four National Records on her way to third place, including a squat of 180kg in the 84kg category.

There was also a podium finish for Malta in the men’s competition, with Ian Pace taking third place with a GL score of 91.56.

Belgian lifter Casper Schedin finished second with 97.42 points, while Greece’s John Pieris claimed first place.

Pace also set a new National Record in the squat in the 93kg category, lifting an impressive 265.5kg.

Maltese lifter Caylee Attard also secured third place in the Junior Women’s competition. Belgium’s Lotte Van de Weghe finished second, while Lieze Vancoillie claimed first place.

In the Junior Men’s competition, Greece’s Stavros Vavougyios finished third, with Kuwait’s Mohammad Alkhatrash taking second place and Belgium’s Casper Schedin claiming the title.

In the overall country standings, Greece finished third, Malta were runners-up, while Belgium took first place.

The Maltese competitors enjoyed an outstanding competition overall, setting an impressive 27 National Records during the inaugural Iron Island event.