Inductees

Gibby Chasse (2014)

Powerlifting Athlete

The Greek god Atlas was forced to carry the world on his shoulders as punishment for his war on Zeus. Gibby Chasse needed no coercion for him to prove he was the strongest man in the land. He took that project entirely upon himself when he became a competitive powerlifter.

Having grown up in Prince George an all-star success in hockey, baseball and fastball, Chasse always set lofty athletic goals for himself and his approach to weightlifting was no different. He raised the bar high and accomplished great feats of strength in a competitive career that began in 2000 in Chilliwack, where he won his first bench press event. Within two years he was setting provincial records, winning best lifter awards, and developing muscles and a lifting technique capable of superhuman achievements.

First-place results in the bench press and a fourth-place finish in powerlifting at the Canadian Powerlifting Union national championship in Winnipeg in 2003 qualified him for the world championships in the Czech Republic.

In 2005, in the midst of winning his fifth of six Canadian Powerlifting Union B.C. Open championships, he lifted an unheard of 534.6 pounds to establish a Canadian record he would hold for eight months, a provincial mark that still stands. His combined total in the squat, dead lift and bench press amounted to a personal record 1,612 pounds. He defended his B.C. title the following year and was voted best overall lifter at the provincial championships.

There was more glory to come and more gold around his neck at the 2009 Global Powerlifting Counsel national championship in Calgary, where Chasse pushed 500 pounds (twice what he weighed at the time) to set a GPC national bench press record. His powerlifting total of 1,750 pounds was a new high for Chasse.

Chasse was also a team player at the height of his prowess as a young athlete and from 1978 to 1988 he represented Prince George on the city’s top traveling hockey teams in prestigious events like the Mac’s Midget Tournament. He made the grade in junior hockey with the Prince George Spruce Kings from 1986 to 1988 and was chosen a Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League all-star his final season.

Chasse also played lacrosse and football and excelled on the ball field, first in baseball at the Babe Ruth level, from 1981 to 1986, then in fastball in the senior men’s league.

As a trainer, he continues to bring out the best in young players involved in hockey, baseball, football, speed skating and soccer.

Chasse has now muscled his way into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame in the athlete category. He joins long-time lifting partner Tony Tomra, who was inducted in 2010.