Wedgewood residents Garry Benford and Pascale Lercangee, ages 70 and 61, respectively, are quite the power couple–literally. Both competing on a world class level in their sports–Garry in powerlifting and Pascale in Ironman competitions–their athletic careers have been, and continue to be, nothing short of awe-inspiring.

In his 52 years of powerlifting, Garry has gathered an extensive list of accolades, including five Master National Powerlifting Awards, three World Championships, 42 World Records in Masters Bench Press competitions across multiple age divisions, and–perhaps most impressively–a spot in the Powerlifting Hall of Fame. Garry’s alma mater, Slippery Rock University, has honored his incredible impact on the sport of powerlifting by inducting him into their athletic hall of fame and by naming their weight room in his honor. It’s no surprise that Garry has met dozens of champions and celebrities of powerlifting along his journey with the sport–although Garry could probably be considered a celebrity of powerlifting himself! 

Despite only having participated in Ironman competitions for four years, Pascale is already making her mark on the sport: she is ranked in the top five in the world for females ages 60-64, giving her “All World Athlete gold status.” She recently competed in both the Full World Ironman Championship in Hawai’i and the World Ironman Championship in Spain–the two competitions being less than a month apart and completed with less than four years of training!

What the couple enjoys most about their respective sports is simple: setting goals of achievement and fulfilling those goals. Clearly, both Garry and Pascale have done just that, with many more goals likely to be set and met in the future. 

The couple advises anyone looking to get into powerlifting and/or Ironman competitions to hire a good trainer. And where would one find a good trainer? One could look no further than Garry and Pascale themselves, who are both certified and train clients in Powell. Garry’s services are offered on his website, garrybenfordfitness.com, and Pascale can be reached at plercangee@columbus.rr.com. With the help of this Wedgewood couple, you can push the boundaries of your own fitness journey.