Steve Mann played football at Abington Heights graduating in 1994. He turned to the world of Powerlifting from that point in his life and hasn't looked back. State championships, national and world titles bestowed upon the "Mann of steel" now for nearly 25 years.
At 264 lbs in his prime-Mann could squat over 900, bench press 700, and dead lift more than 680 lbs-three times his weight. At Nationals last September in Scranton Mann qualified for the World Championships in Tokyo Japan in May in the bench press in the masters one division along with his 15-year-old son Jacob in the sub-junior. The family tradition carries on.
"Yes it's pretty exciting. It's a family affair with our Powerlifting. We participate and run competitions so we are definitely engaged and involved in the sport of Powerlifting," said Steve.
"I think that it's a once in a lifetime experience to go across the world to represent our country," said Jacob.
And we're not done. 12-year-old Kaylee Mann already holds 7 American Powerlifting records in the youth division.
"It's really exciting to see my older brother at 15 going to Tokyo for worlds, and knowing that I can go to school everyday and I can just see him walking in the hallways and he's like going to Tokyo and no one really knows," said Kaylee.
2018 was a tough year for Steve. He had some back issues and tore his pectoral muscle, but he was able to bounce back in September at Nationals right here in Scranton and was able to bench 655 lbs once with a pause.
"Getting old is definitely no fun. So I had some set-backs last year. Tore a pectoral and had some back issues and just kind of grinded through it. Just getting myself through it at the end of 2018 and feeling a lot better showed earlier this year at the Arnold's," added Steve.
2017 PA Hall of Fame Powerlifting inductee Steve Mann has become an ambassador for the sport that has given him so much. Steve Lloyd reporting for Newswatch 16 sports from Lackawanna County.