MARK ETHERIDGE: Kimberley strongman finds the strength to overcome adversity

Thursday, October 10, was a day when World Mental Health Day was marked around the globe.

In the past, there was a stigma around mental health — it was neither acknowledged nor spoken about.

This despite statistics showing at least one in three South Africans will experience depression at least once in their lifetime.

Depression can affect anyone — even elite sportsmen and women.

Last weekend, Kimberley strongman Ricardo Fitzpatrick won gold for SA at the regional Commonwealth bench-press championships in Sun City, beating lifters from England and Canada to the gold medal

Fitzpatrick is no stranger to gold and major sporting events.

In 2018 he pulled on the green and gold vest of Team SA at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia and ending up being ranked seventh.

Fitzpatrick turns 44 in November, and having competed since the age of 18, his longevity in the sport is impressive.

He is no stranger to adversity — early health complications resulted in his lower leg being amputated when he was just two weeks old.

Despite this handicap he went on to become a force in local powerlifting circles.

But even the strongest of bodies has an achilles heel.

In Fitzpatrick’s case it was his mind as he plummeted into a deep state of depression early on in the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

“It wasn’t just the pandemic,” Fitzpatrick shares. “It felt like my life had come to an absolute standstill.

“I was involved in a relationship that turned sour, was dealing with problems at work [he serves in a computer/admin capacity in the office of the Premier of the Northern Cape] and I had big financial problems that were mounting up.

“I stopped doing gym work and just stayed at home.”

As the lockdown restrictions started easing, Fitzpatrick reclaimed his life.

“I went for counselling and treatment which both helped — but the game-breaker was when I bought myself some more weights and started working out at home again.

“There’s significant research saying that exercise, and especially weight training, has big effect in boosting dopamine levels… after a workout you always feel happier and being on the competition platform takes it to a whole level altogether.”

In 2023 Fitzpatrick felt strong enough to get back into the competitive arena.

“I took part in the able-bodied SA bench-press championships and did the open and Master 1 divisions, winning both. From there I was chosen for the SA team at world benchpress champs and the African powerlifting champs. I did the African benchpress champs event and broke the African record in 83kg division for Masters 1.”

He did however have a bit of a downer at the World benchpress champs at Sun City. “I bombed out, just couldn’t get any of my lifts in — one of those bad-luck days.”

But he picked himself up again and at the national bench press championships successfully defended his title.

That saw him chosen for the SA team to represent the rainbow nation at world championships in Houston, US.

“Unfortunately I couldn’t get to that one. I needed to raise about R80,000 for the trip and also had to apply for a US visa and anyone who has ever applied for one of those will know that it’s a very long and problematic process.”

Though Fitzpatrick finds that raising the physical bar comes naturally, raising funding is another matter altogether.

“The SA Powerlifting Federation is a nonprofit body and has very little funds for international competition whereas for a competition like the Commonwealth Games funding is usually available from SASCOC, the umbrella body of SA sport.”

In recent months Fitzpatrick has notched up more success, winning his division at the Asian/Pacific/African championships in Potchefstroom.

“That’s my eighth international title for SA,” he says proudly.

Then last weekend was the Commonwealth champs in Sun City where he emerged triumphant.

“But it was close. I almost bombed out but managed to get my last lift in and the other guys couldn’t keep up.

“So I won the Masters 1 Under-83kg title and it was great to beat those demons from the earlier event at Sun City.”

The pandemic and resultant depression saw Fitzpatrick losing about 13kg in conditioning.

“I went down to a low around 70kg but regular training and competition are getting me back up there.”

That shows in his maximum weight lifted. His best lift is the 175kg which helped him win nationals back in 2018, same year as the Commonwealth Games, while his winning Commonwealth championships lift in Sun City was 25kg less.

While progress is sometimes slow when it comes to beating demons — whether in competition or on the mental health front, — Fitzpatrick is going from strength to strength.