A 73-year-old vegan powerlifter has taken his third national title as he continues to improve against the odds.
Dr Doug Graham competes raw (with no squat suit or similar supports), although there’s a double meaning there – Dr Graham is a raw vegan, living off uncooked fruit and veg.
The vegan veteran stormed the 66 kg category with a 97.5 kg squat, a 57.5 kg bench and 155 kg deadlift, which rivalled his personal best set 12 years ago.
“At age 57, I took up powerlifting to counteract a sedentary lifestyle,” he says. “By my 60s, I had doubled my strength, set six regional records, and consistently met the strict qualifying standards to compete at the British Nationals each year.”
The raw food diet is not a new thing, and he went 100% raw vegan in 1978. He hopes that his phenomenal performance is “proof that you can dominate on the world stage, build functional strength, and accumulate radiant health using nothing but whole, fresh, ripe, RAW plants.”
“I am not strong because of my diet; I am strong because of my strength training. My strength does not depend on my diet. But my diet has given me the pristine health required to train at this level without breaking down.”
Last year, Doug also competed at the World Championships, recording a 300 kg total and taking silver. He’s thrilled to be competing at Worlds again this year and knows that the plants will support him as he bids for more success.
