NO ONE is more surprised at Sydney man Geoffrey Lewis’s foray into powerlifting than the 69-year-old himself.
With a PhD in pure maths, the former lecturer in quantitative methods in economics and under-30s Australian bridge champion – who has also penned books on topics ranging from the postal history of the Spanish Philippines to roulette – is used to more cerebral challenges.
But a near-death experience 12 years ago forced the award-winning philatelist and payroll software designer to change his sedentary lifestyle. He’s now a champion lifter who has represented Australia with a stash of gold medals under his weight belt.
“I had never heard of powerlifting,” admits Geoffrey, owner and chief executive of Custom-Made Software, who will be turning 70 before competing at the Australian Powerlifting Championships in Melbourne in August.
And despite being selected by IBM as a “genius” 16-year-old schoolboy in 1965 to make the first public demonstration in Australia of the IBM System/360 computer, he says his weightlifting success is still the most unbelievable thing he’s achieved.
“It is certainly the most surprising thing I’ve done in my life and totally unexpected. No one who knows me would think that I would do this. In fact, if I was thinking of something I couldn’t be good at, it would be this.”
After being diagnosed with a serious heart condition, doctors discovered Geoffrey’s arteries were blocked and he had four stents put in. “ I didn’t quite get a heart attack, but in hindsight I could’ve dropped dead at any time,” he said.
Although he had been playing tennis once a week, Geoffrey realised he needed to make changes to his diet and exercise more, so took up walking.
“After about a year my son suggested I do something about my upper body. He was going to a personal trainer and booked me in for a one-hour session for 12 weeks. And I’m still going!”
He admits it was tough at first.
“It took me a year just to do push-ups. After another year I started doing weights. I was in my early 60s and had never lifted a barbell. But I really enjoyed it.”
It wasn’t long before his trainer suggested he enter a weightlifting competition and in 2012 he stepped up to the podium for the first time in Caves Beach, aged 63.
“I was absolutely petrified and there were hundreds of people watching. But it gave me so much confidence.
“I thought that would be it and then I could say ‘I’ve done a competition’.”
But weighing just over 70kg, Geoffrey is still improving and increasing his weights, recently lifting 170kg in a deadlift.
For someone who has a natural aptitude for solving complicated problems, powerlifting – like coding – is all about numbers and it is this empirical, mathematical attitude that he applies to his training.
“Each lift actually has about 30 micro-movements. It’s really just about sequence, technique and concentration.
“This is why I like powerlifting. Because you get a number, there is no doubt. You’re aware how you are improving and have a very clear objective of how well you’re going. It is readily measurable.”
And now wife Lolita, 70, has also got in on the act.
“When I started, my younger children were very supportive, but people my own age, such as my wife and brother, said things like ‘don’t do that, you’ll have a hernia or heart attack, or hurt your back’.
“Then one day Lolita said she’d come and watch me compete. Now she’s competing in the bench press and has won several Australian championships too.”
