[00:00:08] With Baby Keem’s “family ties” blasting on his headphones and adrenaline coursing through his veins, powerlifter Andy Cabindol prepared to lift the most he ever had while competing. He stretched his arms out one final time, took a breath and stepped onto the competition platform. In that moment, nothing mattered more than the plates he was about to press. 

[00:18:07] This past July, the Tisch junior competed in the International University Sports Federation’s World University Powerlifting Championships held in Estonia. He was one of 32 representatives from the United States and one of only two from universities in New York. He finished fourth in the 66 kg weight class. 

[00:34:06] WSN: What was it like to represent not only NYU but Team USA on a scale that large? 

[00:39:19] Cabindol: This is the first powerlifting competition tied with FISU, which is like the Olympics, but for collegiate athletes. And so when I found that out, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m only one of 32 athletes.’ It’s scary, but it’s also like ‘Oh, I’m so excited to hop on the stage now.’ And so during prep, when I was training and all that, it was a mix of pressure and also excitement. 

[01:28:27] WSN: Did that pressure and excitement hit when you got onto the stage to compete for the first time, do you think? Or was it something that you processed in stages? 

[01:19:06] Cabindol: I felt the pressure more during the months before. When actually lifting on the platform, it felt — it’s different. It’s a different kind of feeling. It might sound crazy, but when I say it’s calm, that’s how it actually feels. When I’m on the platform, I’m just there to lift, or I’m just there to grab the bar and pull to do a deadlift. There’s quite literally nothing else on my mind but to move that weight. 

[01:49:25] WSN: Leaving the competition, how did you feel about your performance? 

[01:53:08] Cabindol: Fourth place does not sit well with me. The reason why fourth place doesn’t sit well with me is because I knew that I could win that day. The winning total was something that I’ve hit before in training, so it’s something I was so close to actually getting: a world title. I think that was also the first powerlifting competition that my mom has been to ever, and I felt like that was a lot of pressure, but I also appreciate the support. I know that whatever place I end up in she’ll be happy with.

[02:32:26] WSN: How do you hope that your fourth-place finish will promote powerlifting on campus here at NYU? 

[02:39:10] Cabindol: Coming into NYU, I thought there would be a lot more powerlifters than I’ve actually encountered. A lot of people I know that I’ve met at either 404 gym or Palladium gym, they want to get into powerlifting, but they just don’t know how. I’m hoping that I can inspire a lot more students to actually dive into the sport. 

[02:59:21] WSN: In April, you mentioned to WSN that you were trying to get official Student Activities Board recognition for NYU Barbell, which is a club for gym-goers, powerlifters and bodybuilders. Have you seen any progress with this since? 

[03:13:20] Cabindol: So NYU Barbell hosted a powerlifting mock meet at JDI Tribeca, which is, I want to say, one of the best powerlifting gyms in Manhattan. And it did really well. A bunch of people showed up. A bunch of new lifters, too, that are trying to get into powerlifting. So I took that as a win. In terms of board recognition, we’ll see in — I think — the next month. 

[03:41:07] Cabindol met his coach, Nick Lin, through NYU Barbell and attributes his World’s qualification and competitive trajectory to both Lin and the community he’s found within the group. 

[03:50:08] This February, Cabindol will compete in the bench press at Bench Nationals with the hope of further qualifying for Bench Worlds. 

[03:59:29] WSN: What do you think is the importance of having community in a sport like powerlifting? 

[04:02:17] Cabindol: Powerlifters can get lost in the numbers to the point where they compare themselves to other people. Knowing that there’s people around me, not just in the gym but also in school, that are just as dedicated to the gym as well, it’s really rewarding seeing people also strive toward their gym goals.

Contact Katie Kubiak at [email protected].