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Billy Hibdon earns world dead lifting championship

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His name is probably William, but anybody who knows him calls him Billy.

Billy Hibdon graduated from Ramona High School in 2004. Billy played football for four years and lettered twice on the varsity. He was an All Valley League running back both years.

He played with a passion. He was small and not the fastest player on the team or in the backfield, but he went full speed all of the time.

He transferred to Palomar College and played two years there. His freshman year he won the Offensive Most Valuable Player. He suffered an injury his sophomore year.

He is enrolling at the University of Redlands next year and plans on playing football for the Bulldogs.

Billy also ran track and wrestled at RHS.

While playing football, Billy lifted weights to get in shape. His weight coaches noticed that Billy was very strong for his size. James Kegrice, who trains student-athletes in Ramona, started coaching Billy.

On Nov. 17, Billy won the World Association of Bench Pressers and Dead Lifters World Championship in the dead lift in Las Vegas, Nev. Billy lifted 627 pounds in the 198-pound junior men’s (20 to 25 years of age) division. It is a California state record.

Billy started training for the event with James Kegrice in 2005. His training gave way to football, but he resumed training this year. “Weight training helps my football,” he said. “It improves my strength, stamina, explosion, durability and speed.”

“Billy has a perfect body for a dead lifter,” said Kegrice. “He has long arms, a short torso and long legs. He also has a big heart and a great work ethic.”

Billy plans on majoring in government at Redlands but is also planning on getting a personal trainer’s license.

He will concentrate on football for the near future, but he will be resuming competitions in the off season and when his football days are over.

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