Uplifting news for Sonoma sportsman

Sonoma Valley weightlifting competitor and coach Wayne Jandoc has been named to the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Hall of Fame.

Jandoc has been in the sport for 32 year, both as competitor and coach. He’s racked up 26 California Championships, 15 National Champion and 10 World Championships, but said his proudest moment was as a coach. “These individual accomplishments aren’t as impressive to me as the 2013 USPA National Team Championship that our little town of Sonoma captured,” he said.

Jandoc formed the local team after moving to Sonoma Valley from Hawaii, where he had begun his career. “I founded the Sonoma Ikaika Ho’omau Power Team in 2005,” he said. “Ikaika Ho’omau’” translates to Strength/Persistence.”

“The majority of my contributions to the sport have come from the Sonoma venture,” Jandoc said. Since 2005, 55 different Sonoma lifters have graced the platforms of five different organizations in 75 competitions. Female lifters have ranged in age from 16-72, and male teammates have ranged from 16-74 yeas old.

“We have accumulated 428 Gold medals, 29 silver and 7 bronze,” he said. “We have amassed 640 State records, 394 National/American records and 122 World records, and captured 46 Best Lifter awards.”

Jandoc has grown close to his team members, who he said have given him “much more than I could ever contribute to them. By allowing me to serve them, they have enhanced my life.”

“I get to witness miracles on a daily basis,” he said.

The Sonoma team will compete next week at the US National Powerlifting Association Championships in Las Vegas, where Janoc wil be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame.