POWERING BEYOND HER PERSONAL BEST

Champion powerlifter Farhanna Farid rewrote her deadlift world record twice at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championship 2023. Along the way, she has inspired others to harness their inner strength to pursue their dreams. In this final instalment of the "Her World, Her Spark" series, Farhanna shares her dream of making the sport more accessible in Singapore.

- Goh Hwee Koon

Professional powerlifter Farhanna Farid has been on a winning streak, smashing multiple world records and sweeping medals since she started entering international competitions in 2018. Not even a back injury could take this powerhouse down, though it certainly was a grave concern for her.

The 32-year-old recalls how she bounced back from the crippling injury in April last year to crush a powerlifting world record within two months.

The incident shook her confidence initially, and she nearly quit the World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships in Malta in June. But with sheer determination and support from her coach and loved ones, she recovered in time to compete, lifting a record-breaking 203kg in the under-52kg category.

“Coming out stronger after this pushed me to my boundaries and made me realise there’s another level [of perseverance or capability] that I can tap into,” she says.

Rather than getting emotional when faced with setbacks, she handles them in a more practical and logical way.

“I’d try to identify what I could do better, then rectify it,” says Farhanna. “We can never be perfect, but we can aim for it by striving to reach a certain level of standard.”