By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
As a powerlifter, Eric Tong continually strives for improvement.
The Hanna junior already has made great strides in the sport by qualifying for Saturday’s Texas High School Powerlifting Association state meet in Abilene.
His participation in the 148-pound weight class at the most competitive powerlifting meet of the season means he will be attempting to achieve new personal bests in the squat lift, deadlift and bench press.
“I’ve seen a great improvement in my season (so far),” said Tong, who began lifting weights with renewed interest as part of his rehabilitation regimen after suffering an ACL injury during his freshman year of football. “It feels really good to be going to state. My expectations are that I want to beat my previous (total) score and maybe get a ‘PR’ (personal record), which should more than likely come next year (if not this weekend).
“I feel like I’m going to be there next year (again at state),” he added. “I’m going to be working really hard to go back. It’ll be my last year in high school, so I’m going to go harder than ever and do my very best.”
Hanna powerlifting coach Mike Chavez has closely monitored Tong’s progress.
“Eric’s come along really well,” said Chavez, who also coaches the defensive line in football. “His hard work and dedication to lifting is what sets him apart from everybody else. His numbers have steadily gotten higher. He’s got a real bright future if he keeps working the way he’s been working.
“Any time you’re fortunate enough to get to state, you want to do as well as you can to place, and that’s what our expectations are for Eric,” Chavez added. “The last two weeks we’ve been kind of conservative with him and just wanted to get him qualified for state. Now we’re not going to hold anything back. We’re going to push and give him the best chance possible to place in the top five.
“He’s got the work ethic and determination to eventually become a state champion.”
During the regional meet earlier this month at Weslaco East, the qualifying mark for state in Tong’s weight class was a 1,200-pound total of the squat lift, deadlift and bench press. He made it with a 1,220 total.
His personal bests are 490 pounds in the squat, 485 pounds in the deadlift and 245 pounds in the bench press. At state he’ll be trying to lift more than 500 pounds in the squat and deadlift while going for between 250 and 260 pounds in the bench press.
Tong, who is projected to play in the secondary this fall for the Golden Eagles in football, said those closest to him are important influences for whatever he does, particularly powerlifting.
“I’d like to thank the people who have supported me, and they’re basically my mom (Isabel Rodriguez), my dad (Yu Tuen Tong), my brother (John Daniel Tong), my girlfriend (Chantal Ripke), and my coach and friends, too,” he said. “They’ve been motivating me all year long, and I’m thankful for them.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.