AHMO Iron walked away from this year’s Powerlifting State Championships having made history for Wylie High School and THSWPA (Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association). Nine powerlifting athletes competed in THSWPA’s new unequipped division and took home gold, becoming the first team to do so for THSWPA and earning the first state title for Wylie Powerlifting. Individually, Mackayla Davis placed 2nd, Kristina Restrepo and Esther Emokpae placed 3rd, and Averee Bontrager and Tamia Bankhead placed 4th.
“Winning state and making history for the TWHSPA and especially WHS is still surreal to me,” senior Mackayla Davis said, “We couldn’t have done it without every single girl in our weight room supporting each other and pushing one another to their greatest potential.”
The equipped team, which competes with full powerlifting equipment, placed fourth overall as a team and senior Emily Phillips placed first individually, becoming a state champion. Senior Ava Borders also medaled, placing 3rd. Thalia Gonzales placed 4th, and Isabella Ortega, Maame-Osaa Nketia, and Jaedyn Smith placed 5th.
“Equipped powerlifting requires athletes to learn how to manipulate the equipment to lift as much weight as possible and enhance their natural strength with the equipment,” sophomore Kristina Restrepo said, “Unequipped powerlifting only allows knee sleeves, a belt, and wrist wraps, so we don’t have to deal with equipment but also can’t lift as much since we don’t have the resistance that equipment provides.”
The powerlifters have been preparing for state competition all year, though, and have garnered accolades earlier in the season as well. Before state competition, Powerlifting won their fifteenth regional championship title.
“I feel as though I didn’t change much after I found out I qualified for state,” Davis said, “Our team has been putting in hours of practice and training even before our season began.”
AHMO Iron’s hard work, determination, and perseverance paid off with their successful and history-making season.