Less than a year after her first powerlifting competition, Romy Guichard is preparing to compete at the junior world champs.

The 19-year-old Wānaka resident says she wasn’t “at all” sporty until discovering powerlifting.

Now she manages Snap Fitness when she’s not training and says just about “everything” in her life is about the gym and powerlifting.

Romy qualified for the junior world championships after just two competitions and she is currently ranked seventh in the world for her age and weight category.

She broke several national powerlifting records for U76kg junior women in April, including the national squat and deadlift record (173.5kg and 200.5kg respectively).

The junior world championships will take place in Malta in September and she’s hoping to achieve a fifth-place finish.

Romy said it’s the fast progress with powerlifting that keeps her motivated.

“I guess you don’t see that with many other sports. Every day [my ability to lift] might go up 0.5 percent.”

Romy Guichard

Romy is excited to head to Malta - a country she has visited before, having spent her early years in nearby France. 

She will be travelling with a group of 26 from New Zealand, including her coach, his partner (also a coach), and her boyfriend, as well as other competitors.

The competition lasts a couple of weeks but Romy will compete in all three of her lifts (bench, squat and deadlift) in a single afternoon 

Romy said discovering powerlifting has given her a sense of direction.

She’s looking forward to the world champs and “at least another few years” of training and competing.

Romy will compete at the World Classic & Equipped Sub-Junior & Junior Powerlifting Championships on September 4.

PHOTOS: Wānaka App