8 | MAY 2017
HANDBALL
Expat’s star sparkles in Europe
BEVAN CALVERT TERRORISES OPPOSING TEAMS AND THE FANS ADORE HIM
By JAIME K
PIMENTEL
A FILIPINO-Australian expat
in Germany may not be easily
recognised in his home
country, but he is already a
sports celebrity in Europe as a
handball-playing star.
Playing professional handball
for German club Schwerin
Mecklenburg, 31-year-old
Bevan Calvert top-scored for
his team with 10 goals for a
heart-stopping victory recently
over higher-ranked Pottsdam,
32-30, in Germany.
Calvert had banged the
equaliser four seconds before
the close of the first half to
send the teams even at 15-15.
At an television interview
after the game, Calvert spoke
in fluent German: “We could
not compete at the high pace
of the other team, so we had
to slow the game down to our
tempo and play our own game.
“Our opposition is a very
good team, well drilled and it
was Schwerin’s task to show
that it can also play a top
game.”
Calvert top-scored again with
nine goals a week later against
Flensburg, firing an equaliser
only five minutes before
halftime. Three goals against
n BEVAN CALVERT, centre in yellow, on the offensive for his German team Schwerin
Meckenburg, receives full attention ffrom two defenders on either side as he shoots for goal.
Photo: PAPARAZZIE.DE
WEIGHTLIFTING
PinOz lifter breaks the book
GAWAIN FIRST OZ-BORN MALE TO CONQUER MORE THAN 1000 KILOS
BOWLING
MELBOURNE
WINS CAMPS
TEAM PRIZE
By MARILIE
BOMEDIANO
By MARCO
SELORIO
A FILIPINO-Australian powerlifting
champion from Melbourne City caught
the eye of Hollywood superstar Arnold
Schwarzeneggar at the recently held
Arnold Classic Australia last month.
Gawain Johnstone, 31, must be one
of the best-kept secrets in the Filipino
community.
Nicknamed “G unit”, he is a massive
6ft 2in, 180kg strongman with Scottish
and Filipino roots.
He is a financial banker at NAB by
day and a powerhouse sensation by
night.
Johnstone came to prominence when
he became the first Australian to squat
400kg at the ProRaw8 competition
during the 2016 Arnold Classic, a
multi-sport festival held in Melbourne
annually.
It happened that the man named after
the festival, Arnold Schwarzenegger
was passing by just as Johnstone broke
the record.
This year, Johnstone returned and
once again made history by becoming
the first Australian-born male to break
the 1,000kg barrier.
This time, Schwarzenegger came
later, however, Schwerin went
down, 27-24.
At presstime, there were only
four more games to play in the
2016-2017 competition season.
Calvert had scored 111 goals,
playing the positions of right-
wing and right-back.
Last season, he played only
20 out of 30 games due to
injury but managed to score 87
goals, including 35 from seven
metres.
Calvert had played only one
month with Schwerin when
he was voted ‘Player of the
Month’. He was named ‘Player
of the Season’ in 2016.
Through it all, Calvert has
remained passionately in love
with his Filipino and Australian
roots ~ Filipino mother Violi
and an Australian father John
of Sydney ~ and Australian
handball.
He was captain of the
Australian men’s handball
team at the 2012 Oceania
regional qualifier, and
at the 2013 International
Handball Federation World
Championship.
Calvert has also been widely
recognised in the Filipino-
Australian community,
receiving accolades such as a
local Hall of Fame and Adhika
Builders awards. n
GAWAIN JOHNSTONE powerlifting his way to the history books in Melbourne.
back looking for Johnstone and took a
SnapChat photo of him doing a 415kg
squat.
Johnstone started lifting at 11 years
of age with the Victorian Weightlifting
Club.
He took a 12-year hiatus before tried
powerlifting at 24, when he won the
Junior National championships.
In 2011 Johnstone received plenty
of interest from the National Football
League (NFL) scouts in America
and another invitation from the
Indianapolis Colts.
But a hamstring injury ended his
football dreams.
“My goal is to be the best ever at
my sport and represent both Australia
and the Philippines,” Johnstone said.
“I want to use this as a platform to
help people build confidence and self-
esteem.”
He plans to visit the Philippines later
this year for a promotional tour.n
MELBOURNE bowlers took home
the 2017 CAMPS (Canberra.
Auckland. Melbourne. Perth.
Sydney) perpetual trophy of the
annual Filipino interstate and
international tenpin competition,
hosted this year by the Australian
Capital Territory team at the AMF
Bowling Center in Tuggeranong.
Melbourne team comprised Bernie
Grueso snr, Bernie Grueso jnr and
Jaypee Vargas.
Macpe Bermudez of Auckland
won the men’s singles, Karen
Espiritu of Sydney won the ladies
singles, Ted Balgos and Kenneth
Espiritu of Sydney win the doubles
event.
In a separate three-man team
event Perry Salcedo, Boy Lejero
and Ross Baquillos Sydney took
home the prize money.
The CAMPS competition was
founded by Roy Ramirez of the
ACT, Perry Salcedo and Bing
Savet of Sydney, and Edwin Osa of
Auckland.
Next year’s CAMPS tenpin
bowling competition will be held in
Auckland. n