DEWEY Beach, Del.)-Mike Hall is the first African-American super-heavyweight power lifter to win a world championship. Hall is a five- time world, a 10-time national powerlifting champion. Hall has never used performance enhancing drugs even though as a 17-year old marine, his instructor told him he must.
"Because of that scare and that emotional hurt I vowed to show the whole world that you can become a champion and the best in the world drug free,"said Mike Hall.
Hall's drug free lifestyle is the right one for Justin Issacs. Issacs said he is grateful for his friendship and his impact.
"And the whole thing about being drug free I mean is huge because you never hear that anywhere else and Mike Hall has been always faithful to that message and that commitment,"said Issacs.
Hall is also committed to influencing lives at UMES where he is director of the Health and Wellness program.
"I am able to see 365 students everyday and to be able to converse with them,to encourage them, to be able to challenge them,and to be able to support them and educate them,"said Hall.
Hall has educated his assistant trainer at UMES Davon Best on the best way to lift weights.
"He focuses more on technique so you can actually feel it and you can get more out it that way," said Best.
Hall also continues sharing his life story with the students at UMES.
"I am to share with them an amazing story what a human being can do,and do it drug free,"said Hall.
Hall mentioned why it was so important for him to never take performance enhancing drugs to help him perform better in competitions or when he lifted weights.
"The best way is prevention,"said Hall." Never have and never will and you can be the best in the world whether it be sports or whatever your endeavors are. You can do it as long as you do your best."
That anti-drug living led him to become inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall Of Fame in 1986 and into the Delaware s African-American Sports Hall of Fame.