Veterinarian Kristín Þórhallsdóttir Sets World Records in Lithuania

Kristín Þórhallsdóttir, an Icelandic veterinarian, achieved a remarkable feat at the World Championships in Classic Powerlifting held in Druskininkai, Lithuania. She set new world records in the M1 masters open class for both the total lift and the deadlift. Additionally, she secured a bronze medal in the squat discipline within her weight class of -84kg.

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I was very pleased with the competition, achieved 575 kilograms in the total, which is only five kilograms from my all-time best. I intended to lift over 580 kilograms with the squat and improve my total.

Despite facing a minor setback with the squat rack's height adjustment, which affected her performance in that specific lift, Þórhallsdóttir remained focused. She successfully completed all nine of her lifts across the three disciplines: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Her best lifts included 225 kg in the squat, 120 kg in the bench press, and 230 kg in the deadlift, totaling 575 kg for the competition.

Þórhallsdóttir expressed satisfaction with her performance, noting that her total was only five kilograms shy of her personal best. She had aimed to exceed 580 kg in the squat and improve her overall total. She also shared insights into the competition, mentioning that the reigning world champion in the -76kg and -84kg categories, Amanda Lawrence from the United States, was absent due to injury. The competition was ultimately won by Ziana Azariah of Great Britain, with Karlina Tongotea of New Zealand taking second place.

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Mistakes with the height adjustment of the support bars in the squat threw me off in that discipline. It took some time to fix, and I thought I was running out of time, so I approached the squat with some agitation and carried that through all three lifts. I would have liked to get another five to 7.5 kilograms more there, but I'm not beating myself up about it. I had a good competition and completed all my lifts [in all three disciplines], nine out of nine lifts.

Kristín's coaches, Auðunn Jónsson and Jason Trembley, provided crucial support, accurately predicting her capabilities on the day. Trembley, in particular, was part of her support team for the first time. The Icelandic veterinarian's success highlights her dedication and skill in the demanding sport of powerlifting.

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I felt good, it was a good day and I was just positive. The lift calls [weight declarations] were all correct. Auðunn [Jónsson] assisted me as at all competitions, and so did my coach Jason Trembley. This is the first time he has been part of the support team at a competition for me. They just called the lifts and I went and performed them; they had a good sense of what I had in me today.