Milton High School student Dave Githutu is an athlete, having competed in the Georgia Special Olympics in track and field and bowling. However, now he has a new title to add to his name -- world champion powerlifter.
In September, Githutu won the Teen 3 Division (18- and 19-year-olds) at the Amateur Powerlifting World Congress in Manchester, England, with his mother, grandmother and his coach, trainer and teacher Josh Porter in attendance.
In the sport of powerlifting, athletes lift three ways three times each, and the highest weight lifted in each of the three categories added together becomes that athlete’s score. Githutu’s score of 600 was comprised of a 203.5-pound squat, a 154-pound bench press and a 242-pound deadlift.
Two years ago, in his adaptive PE class, Porter introduced Githutu to powerlifting.
Porter teaches power lifting to all adaptive PE students, and Githutu is one of five members of the Milton High powerlifting team. Training happens each day during their PE class and one extra day after school at a gym called Roswell Barbell.
“We train really hard and we’re proud of what we do,” said Porter, who was named Milton High School’s Teacher of the Year for 2021-22. “[I] … focus on what these kids can do instead of what they can’t do.”
Porter himself is a national champion in powerlifting, and on some of the days Porter is training, Githutu joins him.
Prior to the world championship meet in September, Githutu enjoyed a sendoff worthy of a world champion as the band, cheerleaders and a host of other supporters cheered for him as he departed for the competition. The school put together similar festivities to welcome Githutu back after his win.
“Milton has been very supportive of what all the kids here have done,” said Porter.
Githutu is already looking ahead to upcoming powerlifting competitions. In December he will compete in a meet in South Carolina, followed by the Georgia Special Olympics in January 2023 and a competition with the American Powerlifting Federation next year in Louisiana.
Said Porter, “He’s a pretty special young man. The kids I train are all really special.”
When he’s not powerlifting, Githutu says he enjoys dancing and food, especially spicy food and Chick-fil-A sandwiches.
Original source can be found here.
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