Merrimack High Alumnus Wins National Powerlifting Title

MERRIMACK, NH — Justin Barry's football career may have been over, but his desire to compete never let him. Four years after suffering a catastrophic knee injury that caused him to step away from the Merrimack High School gridiron, he is now a national powerlifting champion.

Barry was a football player at Merrimack High until the winter of his sophomore year when he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn meniscus. He said the recovery process was frustrating because he could not be the athletic and energetic kid he was used to being, so even after he was cleared to resume sports he said he decided not to play football again for fear or suffering another injury.

"I continued to do the off season training with the team and continued to get stronger," said Barry, who was 15 years old at the time. "Shortly after, I started to follow powerlifting and decided to enter my first competition two years after my injury. I didn't put up great lifts with a 295(-pound) squat, 205 bench, and 315 deadlift. But I loved the atmosphere and decided to keep at it."

Barry got stronger and stronger, then joined the United States Air Force when he graduated from Merrimack High in 2018. Earlier this year, he started working with Reactive Training Systems and decided he was ready to up his game.

"After steady programming and linear progression, along with some sweat and blood, I registered for my first national competition," he said.

his past week Barry, now 19 years old, took first place in the Teen 3 (18 and 19-year-old division) at 130 pounds with a 420-pound squad, 260-pound bench press and 440-pound deadlift at the USA Raw Powerlifting Championships in Lombard, Illinois.

"The thing about powerlifting is there's no animosity between competitors," Barry said. "Everyone's working towards the same goal — make themselves better. Powerlifting isn't about who can you beat and who are you better than. It's about self-growth, confidence, community and the fun of lifting some heavy weight."

Barry has completed his certification to be an air traffic controller and is currently stationed at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C. He said while powerlifting is now his main sport, he still plays intramural sports, such as flag football, to keep up his conditioning.

You can follow Barry’s powerlifting progress onInstagram @barry.barbell.