VILLE PLATTE — At just 15 years old, Sacred Heart’s Liam Kincanon is already making national headlines in powerlifting.
The rising sophomore has only competed for one season, but he’s already accomplished what few lifters can claim—earning a spot on Team USA. Kincanon will represent the country at the Pan American Powerlifting Championship beginning July 26 in the Cayman Islands, becoming the youngest Sacred Heart athlete ever to do so.
“Being able to go out on a platform and show people why I do what I do and why our team is what it is, is really fun to me,” Kincanon said.
His coach, Duane Urbina, recognized Kincanon’s potential early on.
“Liam is special,” Urbina said. “I told his dad that when he first came out. He has a bright future in this sport. He’s a very dedicated young man. He’s humble and hard-working.”
Kincanon competes in the 74-kilogram weight class and has already set impressive personal records—a 474-pound squat at nationals, a 265-pound bench press, and a 470-pound deadlift at the state meet.
“It was shocking at first because I didn’t really know how to feel about it,” Kincanon said about making Team USA. “It wasn’t something I expected. As time went by, I became really happy, excited, and anxious to be able to perform at such a high level in my first year of powerlifting.”
Despite his age, Kincanon has stepped up as a leader for Sacred Heart’s powerlifting team.
“He’s very precise in his lifts,” Urbina said. “In any sport, the better your details are the better you’ll be.”
Kincanon credits hard work and commitment for his rapid rise.
“I came into my freshman year thinking that I’m going to have to work to get where these seniors are,” he said. “I was able to prove that with hard work and the dedication you put in, you can do anything you want regardless of your age.”
As he prepares for international competition, Kincanon said he’s motivated by the opportunity to keep improving.
“Whatever PRs I hit now, I’ll have the time and ability to keep pushing to get stronger,” he said. “Having these PRs and knowing that I’ll be able to break them is comforting almost. I know I’ll never lose the passion for the sport because it all depends on me."
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