Powerlifting grandma's a world champ - again

BY PIP COLE

Not many children can say they have a bench-pressing grandma though one Ohaeawai grandmother is a world champion, again.

Trish Muldrock has broken a world record at the women’s and men’s Masters World Bench Press Championships held in Taupo recently.

Lifting nearly twice her body weight, Trish lifted 83kg - breaking the record for the under-48kg, aged 50 to 60 class.

However, after seven visits to the world championships and holding two world records and numerous commonwealth, Oceania, New Zealand and Northland records she still claims it’s no big deal.

"It’s just an everyday thing for me, my mum and sister get more excited about it than me."

Ten years ago, Trish first got into powerlifting by accident.

She went along to a local gym to support a friend.

"Up until then I had never once set foot in a gym," she says.

Nev Couchman, her trainer, told her she was strong and that she had to enter a powerlifting competition.

"I remember saying to my husband ‘I’ll prove him wrong, I’m not strong’," she says.

However, after her first competition she was addicted.

"I kept training, it was like I couldn’t stop – I loved it," she says.

Powerlifting is separate from weight-lifting and is not yet an Olympic sport. Weightlifting involves lifting weights off the ground and into the air whereas powerlifting has three events, bench pressing, squats and deadlifting.

Trish says the training is intense because there is never an off-season unlike many sports.

"You have to be really dedicated to your training.

"At the end of the day you have to say what’s more important – getting sleep, eating healthy food and reaching your goal, or watching that late-night movie and eating junk," she says.

For Mrs Muldroch sleep and food are two of the most important contributors to her competitions.

"I often weigh in then go find a piece of carpet somewhere and have a little snooze before it’s my turn to lift," she says.

For her diminutive size, Trish manages to put away six meals a day, each consisting of eggs and a lot of chicken and fish.

However, no amount of world records could change how important family is to Trish, who keeps weekends free for family time with her husband, two kids and three grandchildren.

After 35 years of marriage, Trish says her husband Vern is one of her biggest supporters.

"He helped me so much when I first started.

"There wasn’t really anyone up here that did powerlifting so Vern bought all the books and taught it to me," she says.

Although Mr Murdoch doesn’t take part in much heavy lifting.

"He prefers fishing and duck shooting," says Trish.

Ten years ago, Trish says she would never have imagined she’d be where she is now and hopes to still be lifting in another 10 years.

"I love the sport so much," she says.

"And I’d just like to thank everyone that has supported me in the community as well as my trainers, Nev Couchman and Anthony Warren."

Anyone interested in getting into powerlifting can contact Trish at the Kerikeri Fitness Gym on Fairway Drive where she works as a trainer.

- © Fairfax NZ News