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Santavy breaks weightlifting records, sets sights on Junior Worlds

Dave Paul Boady Santavy continued his climb to weightlifting stardom with a record-setting performance in Mississauga on Nov.
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Boady Santavy succesfully snatches 155 kg to set a new Canadian record. Submitted Photo

Dave Paul

Boady Santavy continued his climb to weightlifting stardom with a record-setting performance in Mississauga on Nov. 6

The 19-year-old Sarnian, who competed at the 2015 Pan-Am Games, was successful in all six of his attempts at the Ontario Fall Classic, finishing with lifts of 155 kg in the snatch and 183 kg in the clean and jerk.

Those totals established new Canadian junior (20-and-under) records, and the snatch lift of 155 kg is an overall Canadian record for juniors and seniors, accomplished in the 94 kg weight class.

Dalas Santavy, Boady’s father and coach, also competed in the 94 kg class as a junior. He said his son is outpacing him.

“He’s blowing me out of the water in the snatch – both me and my father (Bob Santavy, a two-time Canadian Olympian),” said Dalas, adding Boady’s total would be a Commonwealth record, except those records must be broken at an international competition.

The only record left for Boady to shoot for in the 94 kg weight class is in the senior clean and jerk, a record that is owned by his dad.

“If anyone is going to break it, I hope it’s him, of course,” Dalas Santavy said.

Boady will compete at the Ontario junior championships next month and is targeting the Canadian Junior Championships in Montreal in January. That competition is a qualifier for the Junior Worlds.

Dalas Santavy’s transition from world-class weightlifter to coach has been a natural one, as he’s been able to form a team of lifters from his own family.

“I learned from some of the mistakes I made,” he says, “and from some of the things my coaches did with me – both good and bad.

“Everybody’s put a lot of time and effort into it but it’s paying off.”

Dalas’ son Noah Santavy, 18, competes in the 77 kg class and is currently the third-ranked lifter, pound-for-pound, in Ontario. His brother Boady is ranked number one.

“He’s competing in a big shadow, for sure,” says Dalas, “but he’s doing well.”

Noah will be competing at next month’s Ontario Junior Championships in Mississauga and “he’s ready for some big lifts,” his father said.

Also competing in Mississauga will be 13-year-old Alana Santavy, who was named best lifter at her first-ever competition earlier this year.

“She just blew everyone out of the water,” says Dalas. “She really turns heads when she lifts.”

Alana will be trying to qualify for the Canadian Jr. Championships. Her father is confident she can compete and, despite her youth, even win a medal at the national level.

Alana’s twin brother Bradyn, meanwhile, is a two-sport athlete. He’s a AAA hockey player and also a standout lifter who set a provincial record at last year’s Ontario Summer Games with a lift of 58 kg in the snatch.

The Santavys, along with Olivia Freer, 14, of Forest, train at We Are Fitness in Point Edward, a gym that has become the local hotbed for CrossFit.

“Olympic weightlifting is a big part of CrossFit,” said Dalas Santavy, “and its popularity has really helped increase the interest in our sport.”

Three generations of Santavy weightlifters, from left, front row:  Alana and Bradyn Santavy; back row: Bob, Noah, Dalas and Boady Santavy. Submitted Photo
Three generations of Santavy weightlifters, from left, front row: Alana and Bradyn Santavy; back row: Bob, Noah, Dalas and Boady Santavy.Submitted Photo


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