When Kevin Houlroyd was a child, he wasn't interested in picking up sports like football, basketball or baseball.

But picking up weights, now, that sounded like something Houlroyd, now 12, could get into. He has apparently found his niche.

"This is outstanding," said Kevin's father, Tom Houlroyd, at the 2000 "100% Redeemed Against the World (R.A.W.)" Elementary, Middle, High School & Collegiate National Powerlifting Championships, held in Elizabeth City, N.C., from Thursday to Saturday. "This is something that he finally wanted to do. He wanted to wrestle and powerlift, and he has excelled in both of them."

Fifteen teams, including an estimated 180 participants from across the country, took part in the various divisions to test their brute strength.

Paul Bossi, tournament director, said that Houlroyd is just one example of how weightlifting can pay off for kids who want to play sports.

"I don't do this to win competitions, but to motivate my kids to become better athletes," said Bossi, who, as coach of the River Road Middle School weightlifting team, was the de facto host of the event. "You're competing with so many things, like Nintendo games and computers. By winning the trophies and the medals, they build up their self-esteem and ? when they get older, they're going to be assets to the community."

The national event wouldn't have been complete without a star from the weightlifting world. Shannon Pole-Summers, who competed in the 14- to 15-years-old age group and is considered the "World's Strongest Female," as mentioned on a recent episode of the television show "Ripley's Believe It or Not," impressed the crowd with world-record efforts in the dead lift (350 pounds), the squat (350 pounds) and the bench press (250 pounds) on Friday.

But Saturday's festivities were even sweeter for the determined Houlroyd, who had earlier missed a 235-pound deadlift attempt. After shaking off a hurt knee, he returned for his final attempt and smashed the world record with a 236-pound lift.

The following are all-around first-place results from the 2000 "100% RAW" National Powerlifting Championships:

Boys

Jeremiah Cohill: Virginia Beach, Va. (88-pound weight class, 8- and 9-years-old)
Edward Saunders: Elizabeth City, N.C. (88, 12-13)
Adrian Armstrong: Elizabeth City, N.C. (97, 12-13)
David Hudson: Chatham, Va. (97, 14-15)
Michael Welcheck: Elizabethtown, Pa. (105, 12-13)
Otis Swain: Elizabeth City, N.C. (114, 12-13)
Timothy Lyons: Elizabeth City, N.C. (123, 12-13)
Duke Shelton: Chatham, Va. (123, 14-15)
Jose Lince: Chatham, Va. (123, 18-19)
Ryan Gibson: Chatham, Va. (132, 12-13)
Larry Mabinton: Rocky Mount, N.C. (132, 16-17)
Cordette Clay: Elizabeth City, N.C. (148, 14-15)
Donnel Moore: Elizabeth City, N.C. (148, 16-17)
Jared Cropps: Washington, D.C. (148, 18-19)
Nathan Desloge: Elizabethtown, Pa. (165, 14-15)
Jason Billings: Elizabethtown, Pa. (165, 16-17)
Yao Konan: Washington, D.C. (165, 18-19)
Chris Balance: Elizabeth City, N.C. (181, 12-13)
Mario Jeffreys: Rocky Mount, N.C. (181, 14-15)
Roy Melton: Rocky Mount, N.C. (181, 16-17)
Jeff Pierce: Elizabeth City, N.C. (198, 14-15)
Ivory Johnson: Rocky Mount, N.C. (198, 16-17)
Michael Lucas: Rocky Mount, N.C. (198, 18-19)
Alan Brooks: Elizabeth City, N.C. (220, 12-13)
Jonathan Gordon: Elizabeth City, N.C. (220, 14-15)
Matt Walker: Indian Lake, Pa. (220, 16-17)
Jabbar Perry: Rocky Mount, N.C. (220, 18-19)
Scott Ferguson: Rocky Mount, N.C. (242, 14-15)
Bobby Workman: Chatham, Va. (242, 16-17)
Keith Cole: Elizabeth City, N.C. (275, 14-15)
Jamie Godfrey: Elizabeth City, N.C. (275, 16-17)
Eddie Murphy: Rocky Mount, N.C. (275, 18-19)
Joseph Bradshaw: Rocky Mount, N.C. (319, 16-17)

Girls

Olivia Childers: Indian Lake, Pa. (66 pounds, 8- to 9-years-old)
Morgan Curry: Easley, S.C. (66, 10-11)
Link Nguyen: Washington, D.C. (88, 14-15)
Melissa Vaugeois: Washington, D.C. (105, 16-17)
Peppertina Williams: Washington, D.C. (105, 18-19)
Krystle McKenzie: Washington, D.C. (114, 14-15)
Raquel Childress: Indian Lake, Pa. (123, 12-13)
Katie Sharp: Chatham, Va. (123, 14-15)
Shahinde Frederick: Washington, D.C. (132, 14-15)
Vicki Sharp: Chatham, Va. (132, 16-17)
Nova Levinson: Washington, D.C. (148, 16-17)
Danielle Luff: Elizabeth City, N.C. (165, 12-13)
Kristen Whitaker: Washington, D.C. (165, 16-17)
Rachel Kraft: Washington, D.C. (181, 16-17)
Shannon Pole-Summers: Easley, S.C. (198, 14-15)