Coimbatore student gets ‘Strong Boy of the World 2020’ title

COIMBATORE: A 20-year-old Coimbatore student has been declared “Strong Boy of the World 2020” at the recently concluded 21st world powerlifting championship in Maharashtra.

The student, Nirmal Nagendran of Ganapathy, won the first prize in the Under-23, 75 kg category. There were 25 other participants, including those from countries like Nepal, Russia, Indonesia, and London.

In November 2016, he went to a neighbourhood gym at Avarampalayam because he wanted to transform his skinny body frame into a broader and stronger one.

“As part of the programme to build body mass and muscle, they introduced me to weight training. The coach noticed how I was able to strengthen myself and was quickly progressing, and first took me to a district level tournament where I won the silver medal,” recalls Nirmal. There was no looking back since then.

From there, Nirmal shifted gyms, got noticed by the Amateur Powerlifting Federation of India and began working out in their gyms. “I went to V Tone fitness studio in Peelamedu and the Powerlifting Federations gyms across the district,” said Nirmal.

He began winning medals in the state power lifting championships by the age of 18. “After completing the undergraduate course, I began to focus on powerlifting solely,” said Nirmal who trains six hours a day—morning is general fitness and evening is for powerlifting.

In the championship at Amaravathi in Maharashtra which concluded on December 7, he lifted a 605 kg weight in raw powerlifting category. “It was the Powerlifting Federation and Gym that sponsored my participation in these tournaments. My parents, who encourage my training, give my special low calorie diet which often includes chicken without oil, masala and even salt. My college motivates me and allows me to focus on training and tournaments,” said Nirmal who is studying at STC Arts and Science College, Pollachi.