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Pure grit: World powerlifting champion Farhanna Farid empowers women to discover their own strength
The Singaporean athlete isn’t just shattering records – she’s challenging stereotypes and creating spaces where women from all walks of life can realise their potential through the sport
Farhanna Farid, the Singaporean world record-breaking powerlifter, is inspiring women to redefine strength and resilience in a traditionally male-dominated sport.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
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Picture a petite teacher, a mother of five and a nurse taking on deadlifts with determination – it is a scene few would expect. In the male-dominated sport known for sheer strength and endurance, these women find their power under the guidance of professional powerlifter Farhanna Farid, who is not only training others to deadlift but also changing perceptions about who belongs in the sport.
“When I first started out as a coach, there weren’t many female powerlifting coaches in the scene,” the 32-year-old world champion recalls. “At the gym, my advice would often be disregarded. It would take a guy to agree before my opinion was considered.”
Farhanna adds that even some of her female clients were hesitant about her coaching abilities. Yet, with time, these women saw that she brought something unique to the coach-athlete dynamic: an understanding of their personal and physical challenges.
“They took a chance on me and realised that because I was able to empathise, they were more comfortable telling me certain things,” she says.
Watch this video to see how Farhanna empowers others to redefine strength:
Finding her calling
Farhanna’s own journey to powerlifting was as unexpected as the sport’s impact on her life.
In 2017, she thought she was merely joining her then-boyfriend, now husband, Mr James Barcelo, at the gym. During a casual mock meet with friends, she kept lifting heavier weights until she hit 140kg – an unofficial national record at the time, despite having no formal training. It sparked a passion that she did not know existed.
Since then, Farhanna has become a powerhouse on the global stage. She made history in 2018 as the first female Singaporean athlete to win an overall international gold in the under-52kg open category at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships. She has since gone on to break nine world records, including her first official world record lift of 197kg at the annual World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships in South Africa in 2022.
Her resolve only strengthened after a back injury in March 2023 threatened her participation in the same competition that year.
“It was the first time I had experienced an injury that big, and I thought I had to pull out.”
But with sheer determination, and support from her coach and loved ones, she returned to the competition platform in Malta just three months later to lift a record-breaking 203kg, in the under-52kg category.
“Coming out stronger after this pushed me to my boundaries and made me realise there's another level (of perseverance or capability) that I can tap into,” she says.
Farhanna Farid’s powerlifting achievements: A timeline
In 2018, Farhanna was the first female Singaporean athlete to win an international open-category gold at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships (Under-52kg division).
Six years on, the powerlifting champion has set or broken the deadlift world record nine times, with a series of lifts across various international competitions:
- June 2022: She broke the world record twice by lifting 197kg and 200.5kg at the World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships in South Africa.
- September 2022: At the inaugural South-east Asian (SEA) Cup in Malaysia, she raised the bar further with a 201kg deadlift.
- December 2022: She broke her own record twice more by lifting 201.5kg and 202kg at the Asian Classic Championship 2022 in Dubai.
- June 2023: She bounced back from a back injury to break another world record with a 203kg lift at the World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships in Malta (Under-52kg category).
- December 2023: Farhanna broke her own record twice at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships in Malaysia, lifting 203.5kg on her second attempt and a formidable 208kg on her third.
- June 2024: With a 209kg heave at the World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships in Lithuania, she added another kilogram to her previous record.
- December 2024: Will she break another record at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships in Uzbekistan?
For Farhanna, the sport is about more than brute strength; it is also about cultivating the mental fortitude to reach one’s full potential – not just in the gym or on a competition platform, but also in all aspects of life.
“Powerlifting is a test of resilience. Beyond showing me what I’m capable of physically, it has shown me the depth of my mental capabilities and that I can achieve pretty much anything I set my mind to,” she says.
This mentality is a far cry from her younger self. “I’ve always been a risk-averse individual,” she says. “In the past, I’d sometimes start something, then cut my losses when things got tough. So I’d feel like a Jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. However, since pushing myself out of my comfort zone in powerlifting, I’ve learned that I’m more capable and resilient than I give myself a chance to admit.”
Lifting up others
While Farhanna continues to break records, her goals reach beyond podium finishes. A trained pharmacist for six years, she had always wanted to help others and give back to society. But it was through pursuing powerlifting fulltime where she discovered a different way to make an impact.
She says: “I wondered how many more people, especially women, could benefit if I could pass on whatever knowledge and experiences I had acquired over the years.
“I eventually recognised that coaching could be a way for me to pay things forward and contribute to society in my own little way.”
This year, she founded Valkyrie Powerlifting to provide a welcoming space where women can challenge themselves and redefine their limits, especially those who have wanted to try but never felt comfortable enough to begin.
As the marketing and sponsorship team lead at Powerlifting Singapore, she also supports local athletes to compete overseas to raise the standard of the sport. In 2025, Farhanna plans to organise a women’s-only meet to further encourage female participation.
“I hope to make the sport more accessible to the general population and show that it’s never too late or difficult to start,” says Farhanna, who took up powerlifting at age 26 when many professional powerlifters typically start at 17 or 18.
“People don’t need to be athletes to reap the benefits of powerlifting. I was able to overcome the late start with the right coaching and guidance – exactly what I hope to help others with and show them that, coupled with their hard work and commitment, they can achieve what they set out to do."
The original article was first published on herworld.com as part of the Her World, Her Spark series.
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