February 16, 2014 by www.thepostgame.com
Perlis
Comeback
stories are common in the world of sports. We hear about players coming
back from torn anterior cruciate ligaments, broken bones and even
personal trauma.
Rarely, however, do we hear about an athlete returning from pacemaker surgery.
That’s what 91-year-old Sy Perlis
overcame to set a new world record in the 90-and-over weightlifting
class. The Arizona native recently competed at the National Push-Pull
Bench Press and Dead Lift Championships, and his final hoist of 187.5
pounds was good for the record books.
Perlis, a World War II veteran who didn’t
start lifting until he was 60, dominated the 85-to-90 age group before
transitioning into the 90-and-over class. He had to sit out last year
after surgery to fix a hernia and implant a pacemaker. Now he works out
five days a week.
“It gave me the opportunity to do
something to test myself for one thing, and I didn’t have to run around
to do it, as you would in some other sports,” Perlis told the Arizona of
weight lighting. “I got a lot of satisfaction out of it, and it made me
feel good, and it was good for me.”
Perlis’ hobby hasn’t just been beneficial for him; it’s also motivated his wife.
“I always say if it weren’t for my
husband, I’d be at home watching TV and eating bonbons,” Joan Perlis,
69, told the Arizona Republic. “He’s my motivator. He makes me work out,
too.”
Source: www.thepostgame.com
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