A woman from Morinville, Alta., has broken powerlifting records, first at provincial championships and most recently at national championships—and she’s only been in the sport for 10 months.
Marion Peterson got hooked on weightlifting at the age of 61.
“I’m doing it for myself, but I hope other people realize that age doesn’t stop you from doing what you love to do,” said Peterson, who started powerlifting in October. “If you love exercise, get out there, challenge yourself and do it.”
Scott Wallace of Crushers Gym, where Peterson trains three days a week, says she has the right approach when it comes to discipline.
“She just picked it up and had a great work ethic, a great attitude and she came to work every time, never complained and just went for it,” Wallace said, recalling Peterson’s start at his Morinville training center.
Peterson said she didn’t realize she had as much powerlifting potential as she had before training with Wallace.
“I had no idea I had this power,” she told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday. “Scott[saw]this strength in me and he just pushed me and told me it was going to be tough.”
Due to her gym work, she traveled to Whitecourt, Alta, in March for her first competition with the Canadian Powerlifting League Provincials. There she set two national records – 265 lb. (120 kg) in the deadlift and 542 lb. (246 kg) at full strength – while winning her division and weight class.
Four months later, Peterson competed again at the CPL Nationals in Cambridge, Ontario, winning gold in her division and weight class, and setting three other national records: squat record of 209 pounds (95 kg), deadlift record of 269 pounds (122 kg), and a gross gross weight of 573 lb. (260kg).
“I had no doubt that she would break all those records like no one else,” said Wallace, who set two national records at provincial championships. “I knew she would make it and I’m super proud of her.”
Peterson has continued to train. Her goal is to deadlift 300 pounds.
“Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be born, I don’t know,” she said. “I’d love to do it, so I won’t give up.”
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