TheStrongest Girl-world record set
by Jacqueline Wickens
[Dec 6]ELKO, Nev,USA--13-year-old Jacqueline Wickens set a world
record for her age group by deadlifting 308 pounds.Now, she's aiming
for 400 pounds by the time she's 18.
Not
bad for a Spring Creek Middle School eighth-grader who didn't start
lifting barbells until June and didn't begin competing until August.
"This is just the beginning,'' her personal trainer,
Teddy Gray, told the Elko Daily Free Press. ``She has just put her
foot in the door. She can hold a world record for as long as the
wants if she works hard enough. She's just that gifted.''
Wickens set the world record at the World Association
of Benchers and Deadlifters championship in Anaheim, Calif.
She was among 11 competitors in her age group
(12-13) and weight class (181 pounds), and most of the others had
far more experience.
``I wanted to do one competition and see if
I liked it,'' she said. ``I didn't expect to be holding records
like I do now.
On her first lift, Wickens hoisted 270 pounds. She
added 22 pounds and broke the previous world record of 281 pounds
on her second lift. Wickens then lifted 308 pounds, but fell short
in her final attempt at 314 pounds.
“I never thought I was athletic enough to do
many sports,” Wickens said. “When I found this, it did relieve me
to find something I was good at.”
Wickens is also thinking about scholarships and how
it might help her achieve her goal of becoming a pediatrician. Participating
and doing well in the throwing events of track and field will further
help her chances.
Powerlifting, and especially deadlifting, isn't
the most engaging sport. It requires a lot of repetition and discipline
to do well. Workouts are often done alone and the travel to competitions
is long. Music and crossword puzzles help Wickens get through the
down time at competitions and while traveling.
The women's WABDL world record is 501.5 pounds
set by Kayla Taueli in 2005.
