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Icelandic powerlifting champion Hulda B Waage (aka the ‘Vegan Viking’) competed at the recent Icelandic Nationals – leaving with mixed emotions despite finishing as the highest ranked female lifter.
“I was dissatisfied with my results,” she told Great Vegan Athletes.
“We weren’t aiming high for this meet but you know how it is. Always hungry.”
Weights
Waage squatted 215 kg before failing an attempt at 220 kg – the successful lift was an increase of 2.5 kg on her own record.
Bench was less successful, her bench of 130 kg, a lift just short of her personal best and the national record, although the following two lifts were fails.
Other competitors struggled in bench. “For some reason no one was hitting the bench” she says. She finished off with a 177.5 kg deadlift.
Winner
The vegan Viking won her category, and using the Wilks system of comparing lifters of different weights, was the highest ranked female lifter.
Despite this, the high standards she sets herself left Hulda with mixed emotions.
She said: “The atmosphere was amazing. Everyone worked hard at cheering each other. Everyone worked together and helped each other out.
“The referees were very consistent and fair. So it was very relaxing and fun to compete.”
Never one to take much of a break from her sport, Hulda competed the next day in a bench only competition, where she lifted 133 kg to break her own national bench press record.
World championships
With so many records under her name in Iceland, Waage is now looking further afield.
She said: “I’m very excited to compete at the European Championship in May.
“We are training hard for that. Aiming for the limit to be able to compete at World Championship level.”
