Monique Harrington said a national deadlift record at the recent World Raw Powerlifting Federation - Australia event.
Local athlete Monique Harrington is showing a strong aptitude for the sport of powerlifting, recently adding a national record to her growing list of achievements.
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Harrington - who works as a personal trainer in both Deniliquin and Echuca - started competing in the sport in December last year.
At her first outing she placed equal first in her class at the CAPO Powerlifting Australia Pty Ltd deadlift event.
On her third competition outing this month, Harrington set a World Raw Powerlifting Federation - Australia record in the open under 60kg weight class deadlift.
Besting the previous record by 1kg, Harrington lifted 126kg on her second of three attempts to hold the record.
And had she stuck her third attempt on the same day, she would have smashed it.
“For my third attempt I went for 132.5kg, but I failed on that lift,” she said.
“I’d had a poor set up. I set up a little too far from my body, and I just could not get the same leverage.
“I have lifted 130kg before, so I knew I could do that weight - especially with how easy the 126kg came up.
“But it just comes down to technique on the day.
“You only have one minute from when the weights are set to get out there and do your set up, and I think I just rushed it a bit.”
Monique Harrington with her partner Brennan Hall, who also competed at the World Raw Powerlifting Federation - Australia event.
A deadlift is a compound exercise where a weighted barbell starts on the floor.
This is known as ‘dead weight’ and is lifted with no momentum, giving the exercise its name.
Harrington set her record at the WRPF Valhalla Classic held in Nobel Park North on July 9 and 10.
Her efforts on the day saw her place first in the open under 60kg push and pull division.
Contributing to the win was her 126kg deadlift, as well as a 52.5kg bench press.
“That was a personal best bench press for me,” she said.
“My previous PB was the 50kg I got in training.
“I was at another competition only six weeks before this one and failed on the 52.5kg attempt, so I was quite happy to get it this time around.”
Between the WRPF and CAPO events, Harrington could potentially compete every six weeks throughout the year.
But she’s selective in her competitions, to ensure she’s at her best strength when they come around.
“We went for this one because I wanted to make an attempt at the record,” she said of competing at the WRPF competition.
“My next one will be in December this year.
“Between now and then I will build more strength and knuckle down on my technique.
“When I started my training schedule was four days a week, and now I’m doing five and have just started a new training cycle.
“The main aim is to build strength in the lifts.”
Monique Harrington and her powerlifting trainer Shannan Thompson.
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