A 16 year-old weight-lifter from Shelbyville might as well be from Smallville, after setting a state record at the Superman Classic in Metropolis.

Dalton McKittrick entered his first-ever weight lifting competition at the Superman Classic and astounded the crowd by breaking a state bench press record. McKittrick, who stands just 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs just 165 pounds, broke the Son Light Powerlifting state bench press raw record on just his second lift in competition. He pumped it up even more on his next lift, extending the record to 300 pounds.

The state record for the 16-17 year-old, 165-pound weight class was 260 pounds. McKittrick started the competition with his first lift of 250 pounds. His state-record breaking second lift was 275 pounds. His third lift set the new record at 300 pounds, eclipsing the old record by 40 pounds. McKittrick attempted 325 pounds on his last lift, but didn’t make it.

The raw record is different than a regular bench press record. Some bench press competitions allow lifters to wear a bench shirt, which can act as a hydraulic aid and help a lifter press more. The raw competitions do not allow a bench shirt, so the competitor is lifting the weights all on technique and his own raw strength.

McKittrick started weight lifting at home in seventh grade. He then lifted as a Shelbyville High School student at school.

and eventually moved on to lifting at Sparks Fitness Center.

McKittrick set the freshman record at SHS at 225 pounds and set the sophomore record at 275 pounds. McKittrick’s personal best of 315 pounds was set at Sparks.

McKittrick’s weight lifting got a boost when he met Dr. Matt Bell at Sparks. Bell, a dentist who moved to Shelbyville almost a year ago, is also a weight lifter and has worked with McKittrick to encourage him and guide him to the next level.

“I have my own routine,” McKittrick said. “But, he gives me tips.”

“Sometimes, I say, ‘You might want to do this instead,’” said Bell.

“He does it in a nice way,” McKittrick said.

Bell suggested that McKittrick go to the Superman Classic and begin competing. Bell, Dalton and Dalton’s parents, Troy McKittrick of Shelbyville and Oma McKittrick of Lakewood, went to Metropolis for the competition where McKittrick opened his career with a state record.

Dr. Bell has been a weight lifter for 12 years, five years competitively. Bell has been to the WABDL World Championships four times. He placed second twice between 2004-2007. The first time, he placed second in dead lift. The second time, he placed second in bench press in the Junior Class 220 pounds, bench pressing 507 pounds. Bell was injured in 2008, but is going back to the World Championships this year in Reno, Nevada.

Bell is impressed with McKittrick’s abilities and anticipates a bright future for the younger lifter.

“He is well ahead of the curve,” Dr. Bell said. “I believe in a couple of years he could contend for a world championship. He is much more talented than I am. He has an advantage with his body type for his weight, his arm length and his natural ability to build strength. In addition to his genetics is his determination.”

Son Light Powerlifting, part of the International Powerlifting Federation, is an gym and organization out of Tuscola that holds competitions in several states and has established state bench press records going back to 2000 in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

In all of those states for all of those years, only one other 16 year-old, 165-pounder has a state record to match McKittrick’s (300 pounds). A handful of other lifters in that class have lifted 320, 330 or 350, but with a bench shirt helping them. Benching raw, only McKittrick and one other boy, Daniel Adams of Ohio, have Son Light Powerlifting state records of 300 pounds. McKittrick’s feat has also earned a lifetime membership in Son Light Powerlifting.

McKittrick says his secret is training, technique, natural strength and the motivation of having people watching.

“It motivates me when people watch,” McKittrick said. “I want to make myself look decent.”

Metropolis provided that motivation.

“It was outside under a tent as part of a fair,” McKittrick said. “There were about 300 people watching, cheering, and taking pictures. It was pretty cool.”

Unlike most teens, McKittrick, is focused and not involved in a diffusion of activities. His hobbies include weight lifting and playing the guitar, with a lot of that time going to weight lifting. In addition to being a junior at Shelbyville High School, he works out at Sparks Fitness Center about three to four hours every day. That focus could turn a hobby into a career, he already has a state record.