South Carolina strongmen crowd RCSD bench press challenge

Fifty-one athletes, mostly law enforcement officers, took part in Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s 250 Bench Press Challenge in Columbia from June 28 to July 3. The event marked America’s 250th birthday and crowned multiple local champions, including a 74-year-old black belt and a 19-year-old college lineman.

Why it matters: - The Richland County Sheriff’s Department used a fitness challenge to mark America’s 250th birthday and bring together law enforcement, veterans, athletes and community members across central South Carolina. - The event turned a symbolic milestone into a public show of strength, with winners earning recognition as 250-pound bench-press champions in the Palmetto State.

What happened: - Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott and the RCSD hosted the 250 Bench Press Challenge in Columbia from June 28 to July 3. - Fifty-one men participated, most of them law enforcement officers from three agencies. - Participants included RCSD deputy sheriffs, Cayce Department of Public Safety officers and S.C. Department of Natural Resources game wardens. - Each competitor had to bench 250 pounds for at least one repetition to qualify. - All lifts were raw, with no lifting shirts or other assistance. - The lifts used free weights on a free Olympic bar and had to be verified by gym staff or law enforcement officers.

The details: - The field included at least three NCAA Division I and Division II football players, several U.S. Marine riflemen and former Army infantrymen, one Army physician from Fort Bragg, four S.C. martial artists, two Black Belt Hall of Famers, one S.C. Military Veterans Hall of Fame inductee, several record-setting powerlifters and at least one competitive bodybuilder. - The oldest participant was Bruce Brutschy, age 74, a 10th-degree black belt. - The youngest participant was Sir’Saleem Stokes, age 19, a Fayetteville State offensive lineman and former Benedict College player. - Joey Brown led the event with 32 repetitions of 250 pounds. - Lawrence Brimfield followed with 31 repetitions and also benched a verified 505 pounds for one rep. - Several competitors also recorded lifts of 315 pounds for reps. - Only participants who completed at least one rep received a two-inch champions coin and an embroidered RCSD gym towel.

Between the lines: - The challenge blended pageantry, fitness and law-enforcement culture in a way that reinforced camaraderie across agencies. - The wide age range, from 19 to 74, showed the event was designed as a broad community display rather than a narrow competition. - The sponsor list suggests the event had strong local backing from fitness, business and veterans organizations.

What's next: - RCSD has not announced follow-up competitions, but the challenge set a benchmark for future America 250-themed events. - The final participant list and rep totals were included as part of the event record.

The bottom line: - The RCSD challenge used a simple lift to create a regional celebration of strength, service and America’s 250th birthday.