Oscar-winning actor Michelle Yeoh and Nobel Peace Prize laureate and journalist Maria Ressa have more in common than one might think. Both individuals represent a profound and impactful message: that someone who looks like us has managed to overcome racial and gender barriers, and made the seemingly impossible possible by being awarded the highest accolades in their fields.
Being the first to break glass ceilings is never easy. It takes grit and guts, two qualities that 31-year-old Farhanna Farid has in spades.
The record-breaking powerlifter never expected to venture down this path. A pharmacist by profession, she only started powerlifting a decade ago when her then-boyfriend, now-husband started pushing her to join his gym. What first started as a hobby turned into a full-fledged career when she attended a casual meet-up with the “boys” (her husband’s powerlifting friends) in 2017, and inadvertently ended up breaking the national record. It lit a spark in Farhanna, and in 2018, she decided to seriously consider powerlifting as a career.
Since making that decision six years ago, she has broken several world records, including the 200.5kg deadlift for the under-52kg category at the International Powerlifting Competition last year in South Africa.
However, the journey has not been easy: There were plenty of barriers to entry, including the lack of representation, lack of awareness, high costs of competing; and perceptions that this was a manly sport.
Back in 2018, Farhanna was one of a handful of women powerlifting in Singapore. When asked about numbers today, she can’t give us an exact figure, but makes an educated guess based on the amount of time a women’s competition takes: “Previously, it would probably take us half a day. Today, it will probably be a full day.”
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Dressing For Success
Today's workplace dress codes are more varied than ever, but as the lines blur, we're left wondering: Is dressing down impacting how we show up - and how confident we feel at work?
Power Puff
This '80s skirt trend is popping up on our social media feeds and on the streets.
Is Social Media Really Necessary For Career Success?
Social media platforms are powerful job-hunting and networking tools, but if you don't use them for professional reasons or aren't comfortable posting online, don't worry - there are other ways to improve your career prospects.
PAYING IT FORWARD
When she noticed that women in developing countries were not getting the funding they deserved, Laina Raveendran Greene started Angels of Impact.
FIRING UP SINGAPORE'S INDIE CINEMA SCENE
Nothing makes Karen Tan, co-founder of The Projector, more happy and fulfilled than making a difference to a film-goer's experience. For her, that spells \"f-u-n\" and brings people together. In the third instalment of the \"HER WORLD, HER SPARK\" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Karen about her journey.
WILLA BELLE
ONG is intentional about building the next blocks of her career
Back For Good
Get ready we are now in the halterneck era.
Stick Sunscreen
Using sunscreen is extremely important to protect our skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays.
Beyond The 9-To-6
According to Her World's annual What Women Want survey, a staggering seven in 10 women in Singapore are willing to take a pay cut for a job that offers better perks and benefits, with a flexible work schedule being a top priority. Are employers here ready to accept flexible arrangements as part of our lexicon?
Leading Singapore's Sustainable Innovations
In this second instalment of the "HER WORLD, HER SPARK" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Oh Chu Xian, founder of deep tech start-up Magorium. Determined to make the construction sector a more sustainable one, she's revolutionising it with a new technology that turns plastic waste into sustainable building materials.