Bronte Lauze of Penticton winning in her age and weight class at the Canadian national powerlifting competition in Aug. 2022.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Bronte Lauze

A 17-year-old Penticton youth is in Australia preparing to compete in the world powerlifting championships.

Just one year into the sport, Penticton’s Bronte Lauze qualified for worlds at the B.C. Provincial Championship in June, then won the Canadian nationals for her age and weight class in August.

“It has been a whirlwind,” she said.

Formerly a ballerina, Lauze was struggling with an eating disorder and was treated for it last year. Shortly after that, she followed her brother to a local gym and fell in love with powerlifting.

She said her health transition has been incredible and life changing.

“Powerlifting was to get myself back on track,” she said. “I will never stop sharing about how good it feels to be strong and look at food as fuel for my body.

“Being strong and healthy can change so many things for so many people. For people dealing with mental health issues and addictions going to the gym can positively impact people’s lives.”

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Lauze is competing on Nov. 4, and after studying her competition, feels she has a solid chance of winning.

She said she isn’t nervous, just excited.

“I total 715 pounds between squat, bench press and deadlifts,” she said. “I have been studying my competition and the biggest lifting difference between us is 20 kilograms which is absolutely nothing so I expect it is going to be a tight competition.”

Lauze has been working hard doing a “heavy training schedule” to prepare, spending about four hours at the gym about five days a week.

“In powerlifting there is an emphasis on rest and recovery,” she said. “It is a big time commitment, you have to put your entire self into it.”

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Lauze and her mom made the 17-hour flight to Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast yesterday, several days before the event. It is the first time Lauze has been to Australia.

“There are so many things that can affect strength levels which is why we got here early to acclimatize as best as possible,” she said. “Flying affects things like weight and water retention.

“It is late spring here and there are beautiful beaches and crashing waves.”

When asked if she ever suspected she was capable of building so much strength, Lauze said as a child she was known to try picking heavy things up, but she never knew her full potential.

When she isn’t lifting heavy weights, Lauze is working on building her social media platforms to help get sponsors.

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