Patrow captures top spot at world powerlifting showdown

Dean Patrow, 41, of Fort Frances defeated U.S. champ John Ford in the Masters under 319-pound division at the Drug Free World Powerlifting Championships on Sunday in Taber, Alta.
Patrow finished with a 1,660-pound lift total, based on a 680-pound squat lift, a 395 bench lift, and a 585-pound deadlift.
About 140 competitors from around the world competed in the event, which will be held at Disney World in Orlando next year.
Each country is allowed only one lifter in each weight class, giving Patrow the distinction of representing Canada at the two-day event.
But despite finishing ahead of the legendary Ford, a native of California, Patrow admitted he thought he would need a bigger total to win the two-person division.
“I made 680 with my lift in the squats but I just missed the 745 one,” said Patrow, who finished second at the Minnesota state championships back in 1982.
“[Ford] finished with a 1,790 total last year.”
Patrow led Ford throughout the competition, jumping out to a 40-pound lead after the squat, and increasing his lead to 100 pounds after the bench.
From there, he never looked back, choosing to successfully lift weights he knew he could handle, putting the pressure on Ford to beat him.
Patrow said his immediate goal will be to qualify for next year’s world championships in Florida, adding the excitement of his first-ever world competition was both intense and fun.
“It was a real long session [Sunday] and we had our lifts go down to the very end. He could have beaten me with his last lift but he just couldn’t do it,” Patrow noted.
“It was really exciting and it was fun. We both became good friends and supported each other throughout,” he added.