Lifter of the Month July 2016

July 2016 - Tony Walton

Please introduce yourself. Who are you? How old are you? Where were you born? Etc. Give the readers some background about yourself.I'm Nathan "Tony" Walton. I live in Tucker, Georgia where I was born and raised. I am 40 years old and have three boys.

Do you compete equipped (squat suit, bench press shirt & deadlift suit) or unequipped (no suits) or both and what weight class(s) and divisions(s) do you compete in?

I compete mainly equipped but have also competed raw. I compete in the 163 lb class in the open and now the master 1 divisions.

What was your last competition and how did you do?

I competed in two competitions back to back with Open Nationals in Denver, CO and the Summer Showdown in Atlanta in late May and June. At Open Nationals I got first place in the 163 lb class and secured my spot on the National team for the 2016 World Championships in Orlando as well as getting first in the 163 Master 1 division and Best Lifter award for overall master lifters with a 545 wilks.

At the Summer Showdown I competed back to back days and finished 2nd overall in the Equipped full power and 1st overall in the deadlift the next day. I was able to bring home a cool $900 for a weekend of lifting.

When was your first competition?

My first competition was ten years ago in 2006.

How have you improved since 2006?

I've improved tremendously. I have won three Open Nationals Championships and am still continuing to get better each year.

What is your next competition?

My next competition will be the 2016 World Championships in Orlando, Fl in October.

What do you plan on doing differently for that meet if anything?

Nothing different, just staying focused and training as hard as I can.

Where are you located in Georgia and where do you train at?

I live in Tucker, Georgia and train at GATA in John's Creek with James Townsend as well as at my house.

What are your hobbies (other than powerlifting)?I love to coach youth sports, mainly football and basketball.

Who is your role model and why?

Doc Holloway.

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

I'm a family man.

Is there anything about powerlifting you would like to change or wish was different?

Nothing. I like the way it is now.

What is your occupation? Does it interfere with competing or visa versa?

I do construction and concrete work. Some days it absolutely interferes with training and competing. Its a labor intensive job and some days training after just isn't going to go very well.

Are you involved in powerlifting in any way besides as a competitor?

Currently no.

What are your biggest squat, bench press, deadlift and total numbers? And how do your best training numbers compare to your best competition numbers?

In gear my best squat is 611 lbs, bench 429 lbs, deadlift 677 lbs, and total 1675.

Raw my best squat is 490 lbs, bench 347, deadlift 611, and total 1422.

I always hit my best numbers in competition but I have benched 385 raw in the gym.

What advice would you give a new lifter just starting out?

Lift for yourself and have fun. Don't worry about what other lifters are doing.

What are your short term goals now as a lifter?

I would like to win or get on the podium at the World Championships this year.

What are some long term goals you would like to achieve?Continue to compete and excel at the national and international level.

Who is your favorite powerlifter of all time?

Doc Holloway and Steve Goggins.

What is your favorite lift, squat or bench press or deadlift or all three and why?

My favorite lift is no question the deadlift. Its my best lift and I just love doing it.

Who is the most impressive lifter you have competed against?

The most impressive lifter I have competed against is 14 time IPF World Champion Jaroslaw Olech.

Do you have any rivals in powerlifting?

My number one rival is myself but I also consider Olech and all the great 163 class lifters to be rivals.

If we're sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it's been for

you, what would be the reason?The main focus is a medal at the World Championships. Winning nationals again would be a big deal but right now the World Championships is the biggest deal.