Precious McKenzie & Grandson Both Going For Gold

McKenzie Double Act With Precious And Grandson Both Going For Gold On World Stage

Weightlifter extraordinaire Precious McKenzie, MBE, flies to the US on Monday to defend his titles at the World Powerlifting Championships in Reno, Nevada. He'll be accompanied for the first time by his 22-year-old grandson, Taurean McKenzie, who will be competing at the same event.

Trained by Precious, Taurean will compete in the Junior Men's 75kg class at the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters (WABDL) event next week. Precious considers his grandson a real prospect and says he (Taurean) is going with the intention of winning his class.

"He's deadlifting 210kg and benching 120kg in training, and I have high hopes for him," says a proud Precious. "He has a right attitude and dare I say is a real chip off the old block."

As for his own chances, 68-year-old Precious says he's in good shape and will be going for world record lifts in the deadlift and bench press events in the Masters 68 Plus class. He also claims he's the world's longest-competing sportsman, nationally and internationally, having been a competitive weightlifter since 1957.

Recently returned from his former homeland of South Africa to help promote a feature movie based on his life, Precious is bubbling about the latest movie developments.

"My South African trip was full on for two solid weeks with daily meetings with South African media, funders and potential funders," says Precious. "The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), who came up with development funding for the movie, seemed very impressed and appear likely to approve further funding."

The movie is now in development with Precious UK Ltd., a London-based company formed by film production company Create Media Partners, and South African film company Unital Films International. Unital already has a number of feature films to its credit.

Precious says the project will receive a further boost this week when one of the South African producers meets with a major Hollywood producer in Los Angeles to discuss possible American involvement.

The screenplay, entitled Precious, was written by New Zealand father-and-son screenwriting team Lance and James Morcan. Tauranga-based Lance Morcan says it's hard to say what Precious is more excited about – the movie or weightlifting alongside his grandson on the world stage.

"Knowing Precious, I'm sure he'll succeed at both," says Morcan.

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