LABRADOR CITY, N.L. — Ethan Reid has made his fair share of sacrifices to reach the top of the podium.
While many of his high school friends are out partying on the weekends, you will most likely find the 16-year-old from Labrador City training at the gym.
Reid’s commitment to powerlifting has even forced him to put one of his favourite winter hobbies on the backburner.
“I love snowboarding, but I haven’t gone once this year because I’ve either been working or I’ve been in the gym,” said Reid. “Then, I was too close to competition and I didn’t want to risk getting hurt.”
But, earlier this month, those sacrifices all paid off. The teenage powerlifter became a national champion in the sub-juniors division, qualifying him to move on to the world championships being held this June in Sweden.
Reid’s best lifts from the national competition are impressive: 452-pound squat, 275-pound bench press, and a deadlift of 501.
“With every lift, I was just gaining more ground on my competition,” said Reid.
“It’s a feeling you can’t describe until you’re actually on a platform and you experience it firsthand; the adrenaline rush you get.”
Reid’s powerlifting journey began nearly four years ago, on his 13th birthday, when he went to the gym for the first time.
“My dad and my step-dad have always been big into lifting weights…being into the gym and being healthy, so I just felt like it was a good thing for me to be to be at,” said Reid. “Something to pass the time with and get a little stronger.”
The following year, Reid met another powerlifter who was about to compete at a national competition, and he convinced Reid to start competing at a high level.
“We started chatting, and we talked about my lifts, and he said, ‘for your age and your size, you’re strong; you should consider going into powerlifting',” recalled Reid. “So, I did some research on it, and it looked like I’d stack up pretty good against the guys in my weight-class and my age.”
The road to becoming national champion was a long one. Beginning in 2018, Reid first had to win a local meet, then the Newfoundland provincial championship and the Eastern Canadian championship.
The travel and other costs of competing has added up, especially since he hasn’t had a sponsor.
“All of my travel comes out of my pocket or my parents’ pockets,” said Reid.
Now, Reid is going to local businesses in Labrador City, hoping to get some sponsorships before he heads to Sweden in June for the world championships.
Reid won’t be the only Labradorian competing on the world stage; Bronson Jacque also qualified in his division during nationals.
After researching some of his competition, Reid’s not sure if he will be able to bring home another gold when he competes in Sweden, but it's something he dreams of doing, along with competing in powerlifting for decades to come.
“I’d love to podium this year, but winning a world championship, that’s the ultimate goal.”
