Driskell places at national powerlifting competition

Louisburg junior Cade Driskell recently placed third in his weight class at the USA High School and Teen National Championship competition in Aurora, Colo.

Cade Driskell had one of those “I want to be like my dad” moments several years ago.

It is what got Driskell started in the sport of powerlifting as he watched his father, Mark, lift weights on a regular basis.

“I’ve been lifting competitively for about three years, but what got me started was always seeing my dad go to the gym and lift big heavy weights,” Cade said. “I wanted to be like him. He mentioned doing a powerlifting meet and once the first meet was done, I was hooked.”

Since that time, Driskell has six state records for his weight class and recently placed third at the USA High School and Teen Nationals Championships in Aurora, Colo., on May 28.

Driskell competed against 11 other lifters in his age and weight class that had qualified from across the country. 

In order to qualify for nationals you must have achieved a 3 lift total that is high enough based on your age/weight division at a USA powerlifting meet within the past year. Over 500 lifters competed over the 4 day event. 

“I was very pleased with placing third, although it’s not a first place finish and it gives me more to work on,” Cade said. “It’s about where I expected to place after looking at the other kids I was competent against.”

Driskell, who is entering his junior year at Louisburg High School, had a good showing as he had a 3-lift total of 492.5 kilograms, or 1,085.7 pounds in the 83 kg weight class. He had a squat of 182.5 kg, a bench of 105 kg and a deadlift of 205 kg.

For taking part in his first national competition, Driskell was pleased with the way everything unfolded.

“I went up against some really good competition for sure,” he said. “The kids that placed ahead of me were very strong kids and the whole experience was pretty cool. I’ve never got to do a national meet, so it was really awesome and it was great to meet some of the people I follow on social media, in person.”

In November of last year, Driskell broke two USAPL (USA Powerlifting) Kansas records in his 83 kg weight class. He had a squat of 374 pounds and broke the previous record of 369. He also set the record for bench press single lift at 237 pounds.

Then in December, he broke four USPA records with a 402 pound squat, a 237 pound bench, a deadlift of 419 pounds and a total lift of 1,058 pounds.

With all the success he has achieved in powerlifting, he has also seen in translate into other sports.

“I can definitely tell how much it’s helped with baseball,” Driskell said. “it has made me a lot faster and has improved my hitting a lot, as well as my arm strength.”