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Icelandic powerlifting champion Hulda B Waage has beaten three of her own national records while competing at European level for the second time.
The athlete faced a number of challenges; including a gruelling journey from Iceland to Pilsen near Prague.
She told Great Vegan Athletes: “It was a long and tiresome journey. Five hours drive from Akureyri to Reykjavík, then an hour’s drive to the airport, a really challenging four-hour flight and a one hour wait to be finally picked up from the airport in Prague. Then an hour’s drive to Pilsen.”
When Waage arrived, the national coach (her husband) had a bath and snacks ready – then she was ready to compete.
Weights
Weighing in at 81.06 kg, Waage and started with Squat. “Things were going disastrously,” she said. “My nerves were getting the better of me.” After two fails she successfully squatted 220 kg – a new Icelandic record by 2.5 kg.
She went on to bench 127.5 kg, then 135 kg before failing at 140 kg. This compares with her own national record of 133 kg so is another new Icelandic record.
Deadlift was a disappointment although she did lift 170 kg. This gave Hulda a total of 525kg, a third new Icelandic record.
Work harder
“I’m happy with my squat and benchpress,” said Waage afterwards. “I have no words for the deadlift except that I really learned from this and now I know that I have to work harder.”
This was most likely Waage’s only international meet of 2018 – she is still set to compete in the Icelandic National competitions, and is feeling optimistic.
“There is a lot more in the tank,” she said: “The squat was so ridiculously light. A little more work on the bench press and a whole lot of changes for the deadlift and my records will be far up by next year.”
