Don’t mess with Dulcie Duguid: this 70-year-old Glencairn woman won the World International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Masters
Champion in Potchefstroom in October and smashed three South African and three African records too.
She knocked out her two international contenders – one representing Finland and the other America – with the squat, bench press and dead-lift, winning all three categories.
Dulcie competed in the Category 4 Masters for women 70 years of age and over and with a body mass of 57kg, and she won a trophy for best woman lifter in this category.
Her best squat lifted was 100kg, best bench press was 42.5kg and the best dead-lift was 107.5kg.
She says her family have always been fond of nature and the outdoors and she and her husband, John, were avid backpackers,
doing at least two, five-day hikes a year before their retirement, and they have a Kombi camper they explore the country with.
She met her coach, Petar Kartev who is based in Fish Hoek, ten years ago and with his
guidance took an interest in trail running, swimming and cycling as well as sprint triathlons.
“Part of my training programme included strength training, which I enjoyed very much, and it was around 2016 when we decided to rather focus on power-lifting going forward.
“It was then that I trained for my first local power-lifting event which took place in March 2016,” she says.
The World IPF was the first international event for Dulcie, although she has done some national qualifying events.
She says John looked at her strangely, but said nothing and has been her greatest supporter yet.
Her family were worried she might injure herself as she has had previous back problems.
“At first, my friends thought I was crazy, but as I have progressed, they have seen the beneficial change this has had on my life.”
Dulcie says her overall health has improved greatly as well as her core strength and confidence.
She was diagnosed with osteopenia but says her bone density has increased since she started power-lifting. If done responsibly, she says, it can be a health benefit for young and old, but it is a slow and steady process.
Osteopenia is a condition in which bone mineral density is lower than normal. It is considered by many doctors to be a
precursor to osteoporosis. However, not every person diagnosed with osteopenia will develop osteoporosis.
Dulcie says that when she first started power-lifting her biggest challenge was to ensure she got the correct technique for the squat, bench press and deadlift, especially as the weights increased.
“It was also difficult not to become discouraged when I hit a plateau.”
Winning the World IPL was a dream come true for her.
“It was the most emotional experience to stand on the podium and to hear the national
anthem. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think about it. It was a lot of focused training which I could never have achieved without the encouragement, support and guidance of my friend and coach, Petar ( Kartev).”
John says Dulcie is a super achiever at whatever she puts her mind to.
“She was very disciplined and dedicated to her training programme. I am super proud of her, and my friends have been asking what it is like to live with a world champion.”
Petar Kartev could not be reached for comment.
