Limerick man's life-changing powerlifting story

AT 60 years of age, powerlifter Liam Beville is still going from strength to strength and is showing no sign of stopping anytime soon. The Thomandgate native has multiple powerlifting world records to his name and whilst he has had enjoyed a storied career in the sport, his love for it began as a result of an almost catastrophic event. 

A simple walk home from a local disco with a few friends turned Liam's life upside down. "It was June 3, 1983, I'll never forget that date. I was walking home from a disco with a few of my friends and a stolen car mounted the pavement and came straight for us."

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Liam's quick thinking managed to save his friend from suffering any injuries, Liam himself was not so fortunate. "My friend of mine that was with me, I manged to push him out of the way but in doing that I was hit by the car", he said. 

Had it not been for his quick reaction time, Liam's life may well have taken a different trajectory. "As I pushed my friend, I was mid-air when I was struck by the car and hadn't I been mid-air I would've been killed as it was estimated that the car was going over 60 miles an hour." 

Liam's subsequent injuries meant that there was a long road of rehabilitation ahead of him. After months in and out of hospital and a six month stint in a wheelchair, by the time Liam was on his own two feet again, the act of walking itself proved a difficult task, still having to rely on crutches to get by. 

"As I set off on my rehabilitation journey I met the famous Limerick man, Jimmy Butler, I saw Jimmy lift the biggest dumbbells you can imagine and I was just mesmerised and it went from there."

Liam started to visit the then Garryowen Weightlifting Club where he met the likes of Jimmy Butler and says he "never looked back." 

"I thought to myself, 'I want to do a bit of that' and little did he know at the time what he would go on to achieve. Liam attributed this to his mentality and positive outlook on life.

"I've always had the mentality that no matter how bad things are, I'll always try to put a positive spin on things. I am 60 years of age now, I wouldn't have survived this long if I was any different, it just wasn't in me", he said.

Liam holds four world records across four weight divisions in three federations, in both Raw and Equipped categories. He is currently ranked number one in the world in the able-bodied deadlift in his age and weight class.

In 1992, at an IPF International competition, Liam deadlifted an astonishing 310kg at a bodyweight of just 75kg—equalling the legendary Ed Coan’s best-ever lift in that category and ranking third in the world that year, behind only John Inzer. Unlike Inzer’s sumo style, Liam achieved that historic lift using the more demanding conventional stance.

After a forced medical retirement, Liam returned to the sport with unshakable resolve. He lost four stone to reach a bodyweight of 65kg, earning his first world record in the 67.5kg weight division. From there, he went on to break world records in the 75kg, 82.5kg, and 90kg divisions—lifting raw and equipped, and proving his strength was anything but circumstantial.

His 285kg deadlift in able-bodied competition was later recognized by Guinness World Records as the heaviest weight lifted in a disability category. While Guinness does not recognize age or weight classes, it does recognize disability. Liam has never competed in a disabled competition—but his Guinness World Record proves that extraordinary strength cannot be boxed in.

"I haven't been able to run since 1983 off the back of what happened and I was always a very outdoors person so I had to find something. I can't recommend powerlifting movements enough no matter what the sport people play, be it rugby, football or soccer", he said.

Despite his age, Liam has no intentions of calling it a day anytime soon claiming: "I'm going to keep going until the wheels fall off."

"I said that I would give it up 15 years ago but I came back and here I am, it's one thing to say you're giving it up but to wake up the next day and go through with it is another story," he added.