Weightlifters ages 14 to 66 showed off their muscles at the United States Powerlifting Federation's Massachusetts state championship on Sunday, October 16, which was held at the Gleason Family YMCA.

It was the second such event at the Y, and Wareham resident Shaun Robison, who serves as Massachusetts chairman of the United States Powerlifting Federation, said it won't be the last.

A total of 24 competitors from across New England participated in the event, which has weightlifters squat, bench, and "deadlift" (lift from the floor to the hips) oftentimes shocking amounts of weight. (Organizers call the event "a day of enormous proportions.")

Approximately 50 people stopped by the YMCA gym to watch and cheer on the competitors.

"We had a real good turnout," Robison said. "A lot of [competitors] walked away with American and state records!"

Officials are still tallying up exactly how many records were broken on Sunday, though it's safe to say that Francesca Gaudiana, a 14-year-old, 114 pound Rhode Island girl and the competition's youngest participant broke a couple of records herself, including a deadlift record after she lifted an astonishing 198 pounds.

"It's always a bonus seeing people do well," said Robison.

Another bonus: though admissions, the event raised about $250 for the YMCA scholarship program, which provides financial aid for those who are unable to pay for memberships and programs on their own, and power-lifter and YMCA assistant wellness director Brent Rusinoski raised more than $550 for the final portion of the YMCA's ongoing expansion project.

That $550+ donation will count towards the Y's effort to obtain the most out of its "challenge grant" offered by the Penzance Foundation. The Penzance Foundation will match all donations raised for the Y's expansion up to $400,000 until the end of the year.

With the match, Rusinoski raised more than $1,100 for the expansion, which will add new men's and women's locker rooms with saunas and a multipurpose room to the Gleason Family YMCA.

Rusinoski, who has been power-lifting for less than a year, entered the competition with the goal of raising $300 for the Y.

"It shattered [the goal]," an excited Rusinoski said.

Sunday was the second time Rusinoski participated in a power-lifting competition. He said he was pleased with his performance.

The 242-pound Rusinoski received a first-place trophy in his weight category and a trophy for deadlifting 573 pounds in his weight category. Though his goal was to deadlift 600 pounds, he wasn't said he wasn't disappointed.

"Brent was right there!" noted Robison, who coaches Rusinoski. "He was so close!"

Robison encourages people of all ages and abilities to get involved in power-lifting.

"We're hoping that in the future, more people get interested and decide that it could be the sport for them," he said. "Some people have their basketball tournaments, they have their swim meets at the Y all the time. This is no different than any of them."

Rusinoski said he enjoys the sense of camaraderie among the lifters.

"We support each other, we scream at each other," he said.

And though the yelling at the screaming may turn some people away from the sport, Rusinowski noted: "It's all about fun."

"Everybody thinks we're angry!" he said. "But we're the nicest people around."

For more information about the federation, visit Facebook.com and search for "Mass USPF" or e-mail massuspf@gmail.com.