The Wayne Gretzky of powerlifting

 

41 years of powerlifting

A shoulder injury several decades earlier shifted the once successful wrestler towards an extensive path in lifting, which led him to inconceivable gold and notoriety.

In 1974, the shorter framed Belle River teenager never had the slightest clue he would become a world-class powerlifting champion, back then and still maintain greatness a half century later.

Jerry Marentette, 59, is a father of three and a grandpa to three grandchildren. Most of the men his age are slowing down, vacationing, and planning for retirement. Not Marentette. Instead of worrying about a pension, he rather shatter records whenever the chance is available.

“Oh god, over my lifting career, starting back in 74, I’ve broken meet records, Ontario records, and Canadian records,” said Marentette.

The strength sport referred to as powerlifting involves three specific exercises-the squat, bench press and deadlift. In competition you have three attempts to lift the maximum weight your body can handle. Competing in world competition is what Marentette says he was bred for.

With hundreds of records broken, numerous world titles, piles of trophies and countless certificates. Many including his family, wonder just what more the middle-aged man can seek to accomplish.
As he enters the front door of his home-made gym, “Power Pit Gym,” built in his back yard he smirks and says nonchalantly “yeah, I broke four records last month in Florida.”

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In large letters, the Power Pit sign sits on the front lawn of his family home and can be seen by all who drive by. It looks like a standard ranch, common in the Windsor/ Essex County region. But when you step foot in the garage-looking gym, you can tell by all the trophies adorning almost every square inch of every wall that it is home to a champion powerlifter. The smell of sweat lingers in the air, weights are smashing and the hit ACDC tune “Hells Bells” roars through two-six by nine speakers.

“We have music going on in the gym otherwise it sounds like a morgue if we don’t,” said Marentette laughing.
But this is home to more than just one Marentette powerlifting champion.

Three generations of Marentette’s pumping iron

“My brother and my sister competed, my wife she competed at the Worlds and her two brothers competed never went to the Worlds, but they trained,” said Marentette.

His son Jason Marentette, 27, competed also and in, 2005, at the International Powerlifting Federation he placed 5th in the world.

“We had four (family members) in total that went to Worlds,” said Marentette.

In the older days, your grandfather would pass down his antique watch which was passed down from his father from his father and so on. Instead of inheriting outdated items, Marentette shares the special recipe of pushing your body to the limit. Recently his 11-year-old granddaughter Kiara Marentette, followed in the Marentette family footsteps. She said her grandpa convinced her into trying powerlifting.

“I started when I was nine,” said Kiara

In teasing tone of voice she said,( powerlifting) “It’s mostly all he is known for(Marentette).”

That’s an understatement according to Lakeshore mayor, Tom Bain. Belle River with a population of almost 35,000 citizens which amalgamated into Lakeshore in 1999 is more than familiar to the powerlifting legend.

“The council here in Lakeshore has recognized Jerry a couple times. He’s had such outstanding feats, originally when you go back and break Canadian records, then going on and breaking all kinds of world records,” said Bain.

“He certainly has helped put Lakeshore on the map.”

 

Out in oil town Edmonton, in tribute to Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky the city built a life-size bronze statue for the legendary NHL hockey player. Gretzky won four Stanley cups in five seasons with the team and has broken the most records of any hockey player.

“I don’t know about a statue, but certainly a sign saying home of Jerry Marentette, world record holder,” said Bain.

“You see them in many towns, where you enter the towns, that’s something we as a municipality will be looking at.”

The town of Lakeshore is in the midst of recognizing the strength champion, but while that is still under consideration, another organization has already realized how significant Marentette is to the community as a top-notch competitor.

“Jerry Marentette actually is defined as both an incredible Hall of Fame athlete, but also an incredible Hall of Fame builder,” said Chuck Smith, Vice Chair of the Windsor Essex County Sports Hall Of Fame.”

“He has developed other kids and opened up powerlifting for the disabled and the blind. “That’s a building program for sport,” said Smith.

The WECSHOF was first notified in 2013, about a man breaking records for the past four decades and still competing as a senior sportsperson. A nomination process begins every year with “over 150 nominated names,” and Marentette was one of those names. After the selection committee reviewed all the applications. With Marentette’s long rap sheet of achievements, the inducting of the 59 year-old in WECSHOF was a “unanimous vote.”

“It was no brainer,” said Smith.

The place where it all started

The Hall of Fame status is a label Marentette deserves, said Roger Chauvin, 66, the man who molded the 114-pound then-wrestler into the record-breaking work horse which he is to date. Chauvin said he remembers the first day the two met like it was yesterday.

He described him as a fairly thin short in height, long haired adolescent and only intentions were to learn from a veteran experienced in powerlifting. Chauvin, at the time, was working at a gym and training others in the neighborhood. Shortly after their first encounter with each other, the two were off to the local YMCA gym.

“There is a lot of experienced lifters there, I basically showed him the right technique for each lift based on his body structure and capabilities,” said Chauvin.

Being employed in the fitness industry Chauvin said he saw people come and go daily, “I didn’t think he was going to stick with it.”

The rippled physique of Marentette out-weighed the gut-feeling of tentativeness Chauvin had felt towards the 17-year-old-teenager.

“He was very flexible and very muscular,” said Chauvin

“He looked like an anatomy chart.”

It has been 41 years since that first day those men met in the garage…one was a teacher and the other simply wanted tips in learning a new sport. A lot has changed since then, Chauvin quit competing in 1983 and persistent Marentette kept at it and now may go down as one of the most prolific powerlifters from Canada. The longevity of Marenette’s career attracted a newer generation of powerlifters.

The times are changing and a younger strain of men are making their mark in the sport. A man half Marentette’ age is the up and coming star from Power Pit Gym.

Kelly Branton, 27, is the number one ranked powerlifter in the country. He said he’s been with the gym for seven years and Marentette’s hard work and dedication is why the Lakeshore gym is producing champions like himself.

“(Marentette)-He’s been a bar fly his whole life he never stops competing,” said Branton.

The 320-pound Branton said, there is no time-frame to when the 59-year-old will hang up the weight belt and call it quits, “probably be doing it until he’s in a wheel chair.”

“It’s an endless addiction you know, he got caught with the iron bug when he was young and he’s still doing it in his 60s,” said Branton.

Marentette will be turning 60-years-old and he said he plans to compete and break more records at the World’s in the 60-70 age-class.

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