When he was 70 years old, Ray Fougnier decided to start lifting weights. He knew it was a good way to get into shape, but he had no idea how that decision would transform his entire life.
Ray decided to start entering competitions. At first, he started smashing state records, and he started to wonder if he could do even better. He made it to nationals and came in first in his age group, which qualified him for the biggest event of them all — the AAU World Championships.
Then, at the age of 73, this retired science teacher did the unthinkable: he became a world champion and set three new world records.
He explains his accidental entry into the world of powerlifting and why his stereotypes of the activity had kept him from exploring it before. Plus, not only is Ray inspiring people of a certain age, this proud member of the Oneida Indian Nation is inspiring his fellow Native Americans.