New BrunswickA building inspector by day, New Brunswicker Peter Michaud was a two-time national champion before winning his first global competition at the World Masters Powerlifting Championships this week in South Africa.National champion Peter Michaud of Edmundston wins his first global competition in South Africa Jennifer Sweet · CBC News · Posted: Oct 16, 2025 1:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoFriends say Michaud is a valued member of the New Brunswick Powerlifting Association and an ambassador for the sport. (Submitted by Cole Hobson)An Edmundston man has won his division at the World Masters Powerlifting Championships in Cape Town, South Africa.“I never thought I could finish first. … I have chills,” Peter Michaud said in a French-language interview with Radio-Canada.Michaud took the title in the 120 kg and over Masters 2 class, which is for athletes aged 50 to 59.He lifted a dumbbell with 287.5 kg on it off the floor, which is called the deadlift, he squatted while supporting 280 kg on his shoulders, and he bench pressed 170 kg, for a total of 737.5 kg.Michaud, 53, was back in the warmup room after competing when his coaches came shouting the good news.“I didn’t know what had happened,’” Michaud recounted. “They came to get me and said, ‘You won, you won.”He’s very proud of the accomplishment.“It’s like my Olympics,” he said.Peter Michaud has been powerlifting since 2016 and has won two Canadian championships. (Submitted by Cole Hobson)In his day job, Michaud is a building inspector with the City of Edmundston.He’s been powerlifting since 2016 and has already won two national championships.“That he’s the strongest over-50 man on the powerlifting platform on the planet, that’s pretty unbelievable,” said Jean-Sebastien Ouellet of the Sparta Progression Gym in Edmundston.Michaud trains there “really hard” once or twice a day, Ouellet said.He is an ambassador for the sport of powerlifting and is known for helping other lifters at the gym, Ouellet said.“Everybody here loves him.”Michaud is also a valued member and volunteer with the New Brunswick Powerlifting Association.“We’re very proud and appreciate him,” said Cole Hobson, communications chair.“What he’s done at his age is really incredible. It’s inspiring to see someone continue to make gains and get stronger as they get older.”Staying healthy and training consistently are the keys to progress, he added.Powerlifting good for mental, physical healthPowerlifting is for anyone, said Ouellet, because you’re only competing against others in your age and weight class.Besides building strength, it also improves mental well-being, he said.There are 100 to 120 active members of the association, aged 8 to 78, Hobson said.Membership has at least doubled in the last eight years, he said.Michaud often volunteers to load weights and spot lifters, which is crucial to the operation of meets, Hobson said.He’ll be helping to run the Hub City Open on Dec. 13 in Moncton.Not many lifters are able to make it to international competitions, said Hobson. Michaud qualified because of his performance nationally.Michaud said he intends to compete for another national title in March in Newfoundland and Labrador and hopes to defend his world title next year in Reno, Nev.With files from Radio-CanadaABOUT THE AUTHORJennifer Sweet has been telling the stories of New Brunswickers for over 20 years. She is originally from Bathurst, got her journalism degree from Carleton University and is based in Fredericton. She can be reached at 451-4176 or jennifer.sweet@cbc.ca.
Edmundston man wins weight, age class at world powerlifting championships
