Monster lifters from all over the world are heading to Australia to compete in Big Dogs 3 on the 14th Oct 1om local time for one of the biggest prize pools in powerlifting with $50,000 total on the line (split 1st - 22k, 2nd - 12k etc.)
No wilks and no weight classes. Biggest total takes home the prize.
Competing on the day are the likes of Eric Lilliebridge, Andrey Malanichev (No.1 Highest Total All Time), Petr Petras (Tied No. 2 highest total), Shawn Doyle, Daniel Bell, Odell Manuel, Brandon Allen and others.
Malanichev is always a favourite but having recently turned in a poor performance, at least by his lofty standards at the WRP World Powerlifting Championships, its hard to know what to expect.
Eric Lilliebridge is smashing big numbers in training and for the first time in a while has had an injury free prep so we can expect to see the 140/308er compete with the SHWs and beat them.
Petras is a less known name abroad despite having the tied 2nd highest total of all time. That was years ago tho so if he has been training since thereās no telling where heāll be at. In the past issues with flying and not speaking any English but this time around he is able to come down to Oz and fight it out with the Big Dogs.
I canāt call the winner with any confidence (Malanichev because Iām a fan) but itāll make for great viewing via livestream at http://proraw.pl/
He pulled out. Said he isnāt recovered fully from surgery, but will compete at Reebok Record Breakers. Andy Huang and Brandon Allen have a podcast with him from a few weeks ago
Ericās going well as far as Iām aware. I train at the gym he trains at and Jake (owner, trains with Eric) said heās had the best prep heās had. With Andrey out as far as Iām aware (hope Iām wrong though) Iām saying podium will be Odell Manuel, Shawn Doyle and Eric. Last two Big Dogs would suggest Shawn could be a favourite as heās come second both times. Odellās no slouch either. He knows how to win. If Eric goes nine for nine heāll be hard to beat.
Iād say Petr is a wildcard. Heās never had to compete with guys every bit as strong as he is I donāt think, so how he reacts to that situation is going to be a big factor.
If Andrey does come, then heāll come in as a favourite IMO. He had a shit day last time and still win. Iād stand by second and third place being between Odell, Shawn and Eric though.
Does this event make the promoters money? Presumably, theyāre paying accommodations and travel costs for the main guys ontop of prize money, venue hire, etcā¦
Well, I was one third right: Odell got a podium, coming second. Surprised Shawn Doyle only made fifth.
All credit to Petr, he obviously does well with real competition.
I also hate to say it, the results donāt do Eric any favours. Heās been dogged by the reputation that he doesnāt travel well, and maybe he bought into that because heās had his whole prep in Canberra this time (ok, his fiancee living here probably has something to do with it, but either way he hasnāt had to really travel. Iām guessing he flew to Melbourne, which is about an hour. If he drove, itās seven hours). Arguably this time he was a favourite to win, with Malan out and having had a great prep and not to mention heās improved with each outing (he came third at Big Dogs 2, along with two others. He bombed at Big Dogs 1 if I remember). His prep total was 1129 kg, and he was 20ish kg below his prep bests for squat and DL. Either heās really unlucky or heās missing something.
Ericās training partners are starting to post, Eric hasnāt yet. What Iām getting so far is that he was injury free during the whole prep, and that he went 6/9. No mention of injury in meet, just that things didnāt pan out as they had hoped.
