A MAN who grew up in Cradock and did some bodybuilding just for fun, is now a South African champion in powerlifting.

Xolani Ndatya, who was injured in a motor car accident some years ago, now does serious powerlifting and bench-pressing and, although he now qualifies competing in competitions for disabled men, has also been successful in competitions for able-bodied participants.

On March 12, Ndatya was most successful in a competition in Gqeberha, where he won a medal and a cup in the South African bench-pressing division for able bodied competitors. This was followed a week later by a Toyota-sponsored completion in Johannesburg, held between March 18-20, where he came first and won a gold medal in the division for competitors under 72kg.

Ndatya, who practices every day, is now preparing for the Powerlifting Grand Prix in Johannesburg on June 3-4.

According to his trainer, Elizabeth Barry from Port Elizabeth, Xolani is a very hard worker and dedicated to his sport. He is easygoing and quiet but works hard to achieve his goals.

He practices regularly and she can see the improvement in him every time they meet. She expects him to achieve a lot of success in future.

Barry is the Eastern Cape Powerlifting convenor and also compete as an able bodied lifter both nationally and overseas. She is also a national powerlifting coach and referee and works at Cape Recife High School as an occupational therapist.