MEET THE PRO

Bethany Parker

About me

In 2015 I was training at a commercial gym where someone who worked at the gym noticed me doing some heavy bench press sets. I was training at the time for national javelin and shot put, however, once the worker told me what powerlifting was I found the closest gym and continued training ever since.

Open State Champion

2023

-84kg

1st place

Junior State Champion

2022

-76kg

1st Place

IPF World Sub Junior Champion

2017

-84kg

1st Place

Total World Record -84kg

2017

IPF World Championship

480.5kg

National Sub Junior Champion

2017

-84kg

1st Place

IPF World Sub Junior Champion

2016

-84kg

1st Place

Sub Junior Oceania Champion

2016

-84kg

1st Place

National Sub Junior Champion

2016

-84kg

1st Place

National Sub Junior Champion

2015

-84kg

1st Place

Best sporting moment?

My first 100kg bench. I was able to hit this milestone in my first year of powerlifting after failing it twice before I successfully hit it.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

What does your competition day look like (Do you have a pre-comp ritual or superstitions)?

No superstitions, my comp day I try and mimic what I do day to day with training. 6-8 hours of sleep, same bread roll and energy drink pre lifting and usually the same music I listen to in the gym.

What is the most important mental aspect of your training and competing?

Willingness to let go of numbers and milestones. You can not afford to be greedy when gaining training momentum. Taking what’s there and stacking wins day to day is a strategy I have adopted in recent years. Which is the same as comp day. Do what you need, not what you want.

Who are your role models and why?

No major roll models for my lifting. But my first athletics coach, Wayne, always tried to tame my hunger to do better and be better and teach me patience. Wayne was extremely impactful on the person I am today.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start in the sport?

Don’t skip the basics. You don’t have to do fancy things to get better, you just have to do the basics well.

What are your plans and goals for the future in your sport and generally?

I hope to return to the international stage as an open, while also pioneering a new standard of enjoying your life and being an athlete at the same time.

What do you enjoy doing outside of the gym/sport?

Music and festivals. Music goes hand in hand with lifting, I am equally passionate about travelling the world to enjoy the sound I listen to everyday in the gym.