A Kiwi world champion powerlifter is looking to defend her world title as she travels to compete in South Africa later this year.
Karen Humphreys claimed the world title in the Women’s Raw 63 Masters 3 class at the World Masters Powerlifting Championships 2023 in Mongolia last year.
The 61-year-old from Ōmanawa said she got into powerlifting after the passing of her son after a battle with leukemia 11 years ago.
“We spent so many months in hospital because it was a 13-month journey for him before he passed," Humphreys told Breakfast.
Humphreys took up the sport five years ago without any experience with powerlifting before then.
She said her daughter used to be a personal trainer and took her under her wing to get her into the sport.
“Every year, it's just wonderful to get a new personal best at each competition you go to, just increasing a little bit each time.”
Humphreys holds both the world and commonwealth titles for her class.
In Mongolia, she achieved a 117.5kg squat, a 60kg bench and a 145kg deadlift for a combined total of 322.5kg which was enough for her to win the title.
"I could've done more but I didn't need to, because your coach works out how much you need to lift to win.”
She hopes to defend her world title in Sun City, South Africa in October.
Humphreys said many people have told her you don't get stronger as you get older — but she doesn't agree.
"That is rubbish. Obviously, I will reach a peak one day when I won't get any stronger but, at the moment, I'm still getting stronger and stronger."
Her advice is to not jump right into it and to learn proper technique first.
Humphreys said that the sport of powerlifting is just five years old and the participation numbers coming through are positive.
"I can't wait to see the young ones coming into the masters because their weights will be phenomenal."
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