Tag Archives: Lifter of the Month

LIFTER OF THE MONTH, MAY 2025 – JESSICA HOPPS

Jessica Hopps has shined during the month of May by winning the 2025 USAWA Heavy Lift Championship with a very impressive 1830 pound total to earn May Lifter of the Month honors. This came on the heels of the March New England Winter Heavy Lift Classic where she won the women’s field with a 2000 pound total.

Jessica has records on the books going back to 2013. She has competed at National Championships and World Championships and is well on her way to the Century Club with 65 records to her name.

Congratulations Jessica!

LIFTER OF THE MONTH, APRIL 2025 – JEFF WENZEL

April was an exciting month with meets being held in Colorado and Missouri. Jeff Wenzel earned lifter of the month with some incredible lifts in the Club Championships and winning the Bench Press Heptathlon. His 250-pound Reg Park Bench Press was good for an all-ages record at 110kg.

Jeff has been enthusiastically competing and setting records since 2023 in the 45-year-old age category and since the 50th Birthday Bash in the 50-year-old age category. Jeff is a member of the Century Club and was honored as 2024 Newcomer of the Year.

All-Round weightlifting is a family sport in the Wenzel household. Spencer (17), Logan (10) and Riley (20) quickly in Jeff’s footsteps. They tend to favor the obscure and currently all four athletes hold records in the Anderson Squat, Jackson Press, Roman Chair Sit-up, Pinch Grip Deadlift and Bench Dip.

Congratulations Jeff!

LIFTER OF THE MONTH, MARCH 2025 – RANDY SMITH

March was a busy month with meets being held in Massachusetts, Kentucky, Missouri and Colorado. Randy Smith earned lifter of the month for March by shining in the Colorado Single Arm Challenge and Jeff’s 50th Birthday Bash. He was first overall in the Single Arm Challenge with a massive 420 pound unadjusted total at 198 pound bodyweight and 70 years of age. During Jeff’s Birthday Bash, he completed four of five lifts with an impressive 130 pound Roman Chair Sit-up.

Randy has records dating back to the 2003 National Championship and has competed in 16 National Championships and was the best lifter in 2015. He is a member of the Century Club with 144 records. 31 of those are National Records, which puts him at 5th behind some pretty impressive company.

Most recently he has taken a role on the USAWA Advisory Committee which was tasked with better understanding the membership.

This is the 4th time Randy has earned Lifter of the Month with past recognition in July 2014, June 2015 and October 2021. Congratulations Randy!

LIFTER OF THE MONTH, FEBRUARY 2025 – JEFF BANKENS

Jeff Bankens is the lifter of the Month for February.  Jeff is a newcomer to the organization, but has already made an impact by hosting the first ever USAWA meet in Louisiana and setting four records along the way.

Jeff is also active on USAWA’s social media platforms with (5) posts in February in addition to his strongman show clips in 2024.  Finally, Jeff is active in his church community and brings people of the world together not only through the Gospel, but also through strength sports.  Congratulations Jeff!

LIFTER OF THE MONTH, JANUARY 2025 – TONY LUPO

January is off to a great start and Tony Lupo is Lifter of the Month. He traveled down to Westlake, LA to help launch All-Round lifting in the Pelican State, took 2nd in the Bayou Beast Bash and set 5 records after the competition lifts were completed. He shows up live on the platform and has a jump on the competition for 2025 Road Warrior miles. Tony first appears in the record list starting in 2021 and has since accumulated 155 individual records in 138 different lifts and 9 team records. A true All-Rounder, he has set records in the Phumchaona Lift and the Carter Lift.

He was the 2023 Newcomer of the Year Runner Up and the inaugural recipient of the Al Myers Award presented at the 2024 Old Time Strongman World Postal Meet. Finally, he supports the USAWA as the Awards Director and the Records Director. Maintaining 19,000+ records is a daunting task that he has taken on without fanfare. Congratulations Tony!

Do you know a USAWA member who should be recognized as a future Lifter of the Month? Send nominations to the Secretary at bethskw@gmail.com

1 2 3 … 18