Local women lift to new heights

Two local female powerlifters from The Firm Fitness Center placed in the 2023 USA Powerlifting Delaware State Championships Feb. 25 at the Rehoboth Beach Barbell Club. 

At age 75, Jennine Anderson finished first in the Women’s Raw Master IVB for ages 75-79 at 44 kg. Samantha Hunker placed second in the Women’s Raw Teen II at 82.5 kg for ages 16-17. 

“I’m just so honored to be the strength coach for both of these women,” said Paul Timmons, owner and trainer at The Firm. “They’re both amazing, but radically different human beings.”

Anderson spent her career as a CPA in Columbia, Md. In 1999, at the end of an exhausting tax season, Anderson realized she was not getting any exercise and began working with a local trainer mostly using machines. She retired in 2015 and moved to Rehoboth Beach, where she first consulted Timmons at The Firm. Anderson had no prior experience with a barbell, but was inspired when she learned that Hunker was participating in a local powerlifting event.

“She’s been dominating the Delaware Senior Olympics for the last seven years,” Timmons said. “I wasn’t sure how she would really be [in a USA Powerlifting competition] because it is a lot different than Delaware Senior Olympics. The standards are so much more challenging, and everything is really strict with how it’s judged.” 

For Anderson, working with a personal trainer the last 25 years has been more about staying active, rather than competing. However, at 75 years old, she has no fear of trying something new and even excelling at the highest level. 

“When I looked at all the information about USA Powerlifting, I found that you can set records by age and weight class,” she said. “I looked at the weight categories and I looked at the American records, and I noticed that in the 44kg category, which is around 97 pounds, no records had been set. So, if I watch my weight a little bit, I could be in that category and I could set some records as long as I don’t screw up my lifts.” 

Despite her humility, setting four American records is exactly what she did. She lifted 82.5 pounds in the squat, 77 pounds in the bench press, and 154 pounds in the deadlift, which were each a new American record because there had not been a female of her age and weight class who had entered in a competition before. 

Powerlifting competitions are split into three separate events: squat, bench press and deadlift. Every athlete has three attempts in each event. The combined weight of the best lift from each of the three events is the powerlifter’s final score. The overall score had also never been accomplished, so Anderson set four American records. 

“In the history of USA Powerlifting, no one has ever competed as a 75-year-old woman in the 44kg weight class, so it’s historic. This human has never existed,” said Timmons. 

Anderson views powerlifting both as a way to remain mobile and as an exciting mental challenge. 

“Powerlifting is such a good functional activity because I’m able to move furniture and do all kinds of things in my life that I probably couldn’t do if I didn’t do the workouts I do. Having this activity over the past four months as something to get ready for has been really nice, because I had a future goal and something to work toward. I think it’s a good mental health thing to have something to aspire to. I feel really good about that part of it; I just wished I could’ve lifted a little better,” she said with a laugh. “That would’ve been nice, but I’m very happy with what I got.”

Hunker also competed at the Barbell Club last month. She has been active in sports for years, as she formerly lived in Washington, D.C., where she competed in gymnastics at a high level. After moving to Delaware at the age of 14, she first entered The Firm after tearing her ACL while playing soccer. To successfully return to her sport, her quads had to be the same size. Hunker had not considered powerlifting until meeting Timmons; since then, she has placed first in two powerlifting competitions, she became a Maryland team bench press state champion, and she broke The Firm’s record for the woman’s deadlift. 

“I tore my ACL and I needed to build muscle back up, which is when I started with Paul, and then when I started deadlifting and learning about the sport, I just fell in love with it,” said Hunker. 

Hunker achieved 209 pounds in the squat, 121 pounds in the bench press and 297 pounds in the deadlift, with the deadlift being a new personal record. Hunker was one of only two athletes in the entire competition of about 100 powerlifters to complete all nine of their lifts. Timmons also noted that he was conservative with Sam’s squat training due to her injured knee, which will require surgery in the future. 

“She’s as focused as any human I’ve ever trained in 30 years of doing this,” he said. “What she does looks almost easy because she does everything so beautifully; she’s a natural. She’s a prodigy in this sport, and a pleasure to work with … I can’t get her out of here; she loves it so much. I’m just really proud of how she did.”

Hunker says that powerlifting has now evolved into a true passion of hers. 

“I have been training with Paul Timmons for a little while now, and in our lifting training, we are always working on what's next and how to improve,” she said. “It was my second time competing at Rehoboth Barbell, and I had an amazing time. I always feel a little nervous, but I just wanted to do my best and have a good time … I have just started my powerlifting journey, so this is the beginning and it will be going up from here.”

Based on their numbers from the regional competition, Hunker and Anderson both qualified for the 2023 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals in Memphis, Tenn., in September.