Saanich’s Tate Commandeur cemented himself as one of Canada’s top young powerlifters on Feb. 25, capturing gold in the 105 kg (18 to 23 age) category at the Canadian Junior National Championships.
💪🏻🥇My son @tate_commandeur just won the Canadian 🇨🇦 Junior Powerlifting Championships (105 kg weight class) lifting 765 kg/1,605 lbs! 🏋️ It’s his 1st year in junior (age 18-23) so totally amazing. 🙌🏻 World Championships in Costa Rica🇨🇷 here we come! @CHEK_News @BlackPressMedia pic.twitter.com/NnUoISp7lS
— Tess van Straaten (@tessvanstraaten) February 26, 2025
The Lambrick Park Secondary graduate took to the stage in Moose Jaw, Sask., where he dominated the competition, posting a combined total of 765.5 kg (1,687 lbs) across squat, bench press, and deadlifts.
“I knew based on my training that I would be competitive in my weight class,” said Commandeur. “But I didn’t set the expectation of winning beforehand, which made it a successful weekend.”
Commandeur, who trains at Victoria Barbell Club under coach Jeremy Klaus, made a seamless transition from the sub-junior (under-18) to the junior (18 to 23) category—a notoriously difficult jump in powerlifting.
“The Team Canada coach told me at Worlds last year in Malta that moving from sub-junior to junior is one of the hardest steps in the sport,” said Commandeur. “So winning nationals in my first year is a big deal. I’m very proud to represent Canada at Worlds again.”
While Commandeur first got into the gym via his brother, he said he looks up to others who have brought awareness to the sport.
"Someone I really look up to is Russell Orhii," said Commandeur. "His presence on social media, along with his personality really helps raise awareness and makes it more entertaining for viewers."
While his brother got him into the gym, and other powerlifters have continued to grow his passion, Commandeur said his fitness journey started in a similar fashion to many other middle schoolers.
"Initially, I got into fitness during middle school when I watched the 10-minute six-pack circuits on YouTube," joked Commandeur.
With the world championships set for Aug. 24 – Sept. 5 in San Jose, Costa Rica, Commandeur is focused on fine-tuning his technique and pushing his strength to new heights.
“The benefit of it being so far away is that I have time to prepare, build, and correct any mistakes,” he said. “But my baseline goal right now is to hit the 800 kg club.”
However, competing at the highest level comes with challenges—including financial ones.
“As you can imagine, travelling across the world for these competitions is expensive, and there is no financial support through Team Canada,” he explained. “So I’m looking for sponsors and hoping a local business will support me.”
