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NILES — More than 80 of the best powerlifters from the state of Michigan and the Midwest will gather at the Midwest Performance Center for the USA Powerlifting Midwest Performance Championship Saturday.

Lifting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and will continue until 3:30 p.m. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m., according to Mike Michelakis, director of the meet.

“This is the first sanctioned meet in Niles since I hosted the Midwest Powerlifting Championship and the Michigan State High School and Collegiate Championships nearly 20 years ago,” Michelakis said.

The Midwest Performance Academy, located at 1720 Terminal Road, will have an 11-member team competing on Saturday. The team will consist of:

• Jake Iwaniak, Y3, 53kg
• Paul Hess III, T1, 74kg
• Colin Hess, T2, 83kg
• Brady Baker, T1, 53kg
• Vernon Riggins, T1, 53kg
• Chase Brawley, T1, 105kg
• Jeffrey Thomas, T2, 120kg
• Emma Strefling, T3, 84kg
• Kaydence Jacobs, T1, 84kg
• Elizabeth Michelakis, T1, 84kg
• Sarah Hosinski, Open, 63kg

There will be no limit to the number of spectators attending the meet. The cost is $10 per person to attend. Masks will be optional per the current state of Michigan COVID-19 guidelines.

This is the first of two meets the Midwest Performance Academy will host in 2020. It will also host the USA Powerlifting Michigan State Championships in Nov. 6-7.