Turner home with a bag full of gold

Hamilton powerlifter Debbie Turner didn't let sickness stop her winning a swag of gold medals at the world masters championships last week.

The 54-year-old grandmother made a clean sweep of the titles in her 75kg class, surprising herself in the process.

"I definitely didn't expect to win them all," Turner said on her return from the event in Palm Springs, California.

"Just to come home with a medal would have been great."

Turner said she had some idea of the standard of competition before heading to California "but you really never know how they'll lift on the day".

"I have lifted more than I did over there but you have to take in factors like travel and I was sick two days before I got there after eating something that didn't agree with me."

Turner managed 155kg in the squat, 105kg in the bench press and a deadlift of 157.5kg for an overall tally of 417.5kg, which was 60kg better than her nearest rival from the US.

Her next target is the world masters bench press champs in Taupo in April.

- Ian Anderson

- © Fairfax NZ News