WE'VE GOT THE POWER

Dad and daughter duo Kobus and Lizette's passion for powerlifting is taking them to the world champs in the UK 

- MELON RADEBE 

THE home gym in Crown Gardens, Johannesburg South, is crammed with dumbbells, weightlifting belts, barbells and bars and the walls are filled floor to ceiling with certificates, trophies and medals. There’s hardly any space left for more – but Lizette and Kobus Bester disagree.

The father-daughter powerlifting duo are determined to add to their collection when they head to Manchester in the United Kingdom to compete at the World Powerlifting Championships from 31 October to 5 November.

Kobus (45) has been a professional powerlifter since 2007, competing in national and international competitions, while his only child, Lizette (17), followed in her father’s footsteps and started powerlifting when she was just nine.

Although she’s been training for years, the world championships will be the first time she competes in an international powerlifting competition. 

“I feel excited,” Lizette tells YOU. “This is the main reason I’m doing powerlifting. I want to go overseas and compete there with my father because he isn’t getting any younger.”

Kobus will compete in the equipped single meet 82,5kg class, master 2 division, and Lizette will take part in the full meet super heavyweight class, teen 2 division.

She was selected to compete in the global tournament after she broke a world record for deadlift and smashed a South African record for bench press in powerlifting.

When she first started powerlifting, she focused on a combination of exercises such as squats, bench presses and deadlifts.

Today she can lift 125kg while squatting, bench press 62,5kg, and deadlift 150kg – and her father couldn’t be prouder.