Meet the Down's Syndrome man that's become an elite athlete One Down's Syndrome man has overcome the odds to become a champion weightlifter. Not just in special Olympics competitions - he regular beats the best of his non-disabled opponents. 31-year-old Jon Stoklosa of Newark, Delaware, was treated just the same as his brothers growing up. 'We never expected anything less from him than his brothers,' his father Hank Stoklosa told The News Journal. Champion: 31-year-old Jon Stoklosa has Down's Syndrome but that hasn't kept him from becoming an elite weightlifter When he was 12-years-old Jon started lifting weights in the basement with his brothers. A year later he was benching 185 pounds. By age 16, he had improved to 225 pounds. Jon is now at the top of his game, having recently taken third place in a competition in Upstate New York. He won a gold medal at the Special Olympics World Games in 1999, but soon after that he started branching out to regular competitions. Now, he competes about twice a year in power lifting competitions in Pennsylvania and New York, going up against athletes who aren't disabled. According to his father, athletes didn't take Jon as seriously when he first started competing at Mickey Rats in Angola, New York two years ago. For the fun of it: Jon says he continues to train in weightlifting because he finds the sport fun. It certainly brings a smile to his face Crowd favorite: Jon won a gold medal in the 1999 Special Olympic World Games, but mostly competes in regular competitions now against unimpaired lifters When we walked in these guys, big guys, all looked at him, like "Who is this kin?" Hank said. 'He gained their respect really quickly,' mom Liz Stoklosa said. It takes a lot of work for Jon to do so well in his sport. Apart from the challenge of upping the weight on his lifts, he also has to focus on basic technique which is harder for a person with cognitive difficulties. Jon works out three days a week with his trainer, Brandon McGovern, and that dedication led him to set a personal best bench press of 402.5 pounds last month. In November he completed a 440 pound squad at a gym in Glenolden, Pennsylvania. Jon regular out lifts his non-disabled competitors. This year he opened with a 365 bench press at Mickey Rats. 'He placed third in his division, which means he's placing third against New York state's best,' said Dennis Brochey, New York state chairman of the United States Powerlifting association. That puts him up there with the elite. Not only are his competitors impressed, but he's also a crowd favorite, often inciting wild applause. When asked why he continues to push himself in his sport, Jon replied simply: 'It's fun.' When he's not working out, Jon stays active at his job bagging groceries at the local Acme grocery store. By day: When not working out, Jon keeps active at his job bagging groceries at a supermarket