Omar SanchezThe Mid-Valley Town Crier in south Texas reports that Weslaco native Omar Sanchez, 46, broke his own bench press record at the 6th annual International Blind Sports Association Bench Press and Powerlifting championships July 6 in Miami.
Sanchez set the record by benching 489 1/2 pounds in the 275-plus weight class, and won a gold medal in the powerlifting championship by defeating a Ukrainian competitor. In 2002, he broke four American records in powerlifting, as well as a bench press world record.
Sanchez has Usher syndrome, so he was born deaf and had peripheral vision tunnel syndrome. He says his next goal is to compete in the Paralympics in 2012.