A new personal best for the two-time Youth National champion Written by Phil BlechmanLast updated on April 1st A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: Weight Categories and Competition Schedule Set for Weightlifting at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games] This is not the first time van Ulft has deadlifted three times her bodyweight on camera she successfully hit a 90-kilogram (198.4-pound) pull That means that she tacked on an additional 10 kilograms (22.1 pounds) to her deadlift in just seven months A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: Weightlifter Sara Ahmed (76KG) Clean & Jerks 150KG While van Ulft occasionally practices powerlifting while training, she has not lost sight of posting record-level lifts in weightlifting. Three days before the above deadlift, van Ulft shared a video on her Instagram page wherein she snatched “one kilogram below the American record.” While it isn’t entirely clear from the video above the caption is likely referring to Kendra Hoover’s Youth American snatch record of 35 kilograms (77.2 pounds) scored in June 2018 Given that van Ulft scored a record-tying snatch of 35 kilograms (77.2 pounds) en route to gold at the 2021 US Youth National Championships and has added serious weight to her big lifts the record books could undergo some edits when she competes next Phil is a native New Yorker passionate about storytelling The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap An 11-year-old girl lifted nearly twice her own weight overhead setting an unofficial world record in the process Written by Jake Dickson, NASM-CPT, USAW-L2Last updated on April 2nd An 11-year-old girl is officially one of the strongest young weightlifters on Earth. On Saturday, Jun. 15, 2024, Aurora “Rory” van Ulft, a pre-teen American weightlifter, set an unofficial Youth world record by lifting nearly twice her own weight overhead. van Ulft competed at USA Weightlifting‘s (USAW) 2024 National Championships Week in Pittsburgh, PA. View this post on Instagram A post shared by hookgrip (@hookgrip) [Related: The Best Weightlifting Apps] van Ulft hit an unofficial Youth world record by clean & jerking 77 kilograms van Ulft is a youth strength athlete who has been hitting big lifts — including a 111-kilogram, or 244.7-pound deadlift at age nine — for years. At USAW’s National Championships Week, she competed in the snatch and clean & jerk; two floor-to-overhead barbell exercises Here’s how she did after weighing in at 37.95 kilograms Weightlifting meets rank athletes by Total the sum of an athlete’s best single result in both lifts van Ulft’s 135-kilogram Total eclipsed the second-highest result in her category by a margin of 51 kilograms World records may only be set at competitions under the purview of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). The girls’ 40-kilogram clean & jerk world record officially stands at 76 kilograms and is held by Filipino athlete Angeline Colonia, who achieved the record at 15 years of age. The IWF recognizes Youth athletes between the ages of 13 and 17. While it may look dangerous at a glance to see van Ulft holding almost twice her own weight above her head, weight lifting is not inherently harmful for children. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: Best Multivitamins for Bone Health] weightlifting athletes of all ages are coached and supervised at all times by accredited coaches who incorporate structured training plans in the months leading up to a competition A 1-rep max may cause an athlete to compromise their exercise form but the posture and effort on display in a competitive setting does not reflect how a young athlete like van Ulft exercises day-to-day Editor’s Note: BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting The two organizations maintain editorial independence unless otherwise noted on specific content projects.  Jake is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a B.S He began his career as a weightlifting coach before transitioning into sports media to pursue his interest in journalism he imagined a future as an organist in a big cathedral in Germany He had no idea that 36 years down the road he would accept a job with the Springfield Park District to become the carillonneur at the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon in Washington Park life takes you a different way," van Ulft said "It just came about that the carillon became more important in my life." Van Ulft is only the fourth person to serve as the park district's carillonneur since the 132-foot-tall instrument was completed in 1962 worked as the director and carillonneur in Centralia for the past 18 years director of recreation for the park district said the opening drew applications from across the U.S Van Ulft is well-respected in the carillon community and was also one of the performers at the 2015 Carillon Festival in Springfield "In addition to playing the traditional pieces Carlo has a flair for playing more modern pieces and taking suggestions from the audience," Saputo said The Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon has 67 cast-bronze bells covering a range of 5 1/2 chromatic octaves The bells are played manually with a keyboard in the carillonneur's cabin on the eighth floor of the instrument One of his goals is to get out into the community and find people who might be interested in learning how to play the carillon That could include reaching out to church groups or theater groups in the area "The carillon is a rare instrument," van Ulft said "You have to realize there are only 160 in the United States and probably 500 in the whole wide world It's not one of the most popular instruments to start playing if you're a kid or even an adult The public will be able to meet van Ulft on Wednesday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the carillon ceremony is for the latest renovation project which included work on the reflection pool installation of a new compass and establishment of museum exhibits in the carillon Van Ulft will play regular fall concerts at noon Wednesdays and 2 and 4 p.m What: Ribbon-cutting ceremony for renovation projects at the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon More details:  There will also be carillon museum tours beginning at 6 p.m and a concert titled "Lincoln and the Music He Loved" at 6:30 p.m. — Contact John Reynolds: john.reynolds@sj-r.com, 788-1524, twitter.com/JohnReynoldsSJR Van Ulft continues to distinguish herself amongst her young peers On May 24, 2023, strength athlete Rory van Ulft’s Instagram page shared a clip of the young competitor capturing a 100-kilogram (220.4-pound) raw back squat the squat is three times van Ulft’s body weight at the time of the lift That means the 10-year-old weighed approximately 33.1 kilograms (73 pounds) for the powerful performance “I’m being told this one’s a big deal …” Van Ulft wore a lifting belt and utilized knee wraps to help her notch this strength feat. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Astonishing milestones of strength and power for someone in her age group are nothing new for van Ulft The athlete has built a reputation for being uncommonly strong for someone who has spent just a decade on the planet What might be even more impressive is that van Ulft hasn’t painted herself into a strength sports corner She has shown proficiency with both powerlifting staples (like this squat) and Olympic weightlifting standards View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) For a competitor dipping her toes in various strength sports and competitive fields only time will tell what stellar milestone van Ulft next showcases in public The only fact that seems inevitable in advance will be how much her achievement stands out for someone of her young age Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen He's been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation with various other content and art production teams and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers © 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About Weightlifting prodigy van Ulft Zercher squats over three times her body weight Written by Terry RamosLast updated on April 29th Pre-teen sensation Aurora “Rory” van Ulft has captivated the strength world. At 11 years old, van Ulft took to her Instagram page on July 17, 2024, to showcase her latest achievement: a 120-kilogram (264-pound) Zercher squat — that’s more than three times her body weight Known for her incredible strength, such as squatting three times her body weight, the Canadian-born van Ulft is one of the strongest youth weightlifters on the planet, weighing 40 kilograms (88 pounds) with five US Youth National Weightlifting titles to her name. Check out her Zercher squat in the video below:  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: For Some Olympic Athletes, Getting a Medal Through TSA Is the Hardest Part] Rory van Ulft positioned her feet shoulder-width apart with a strap across her traps and attached to the barbell to help support the load With her knees slightly bent, chest proud She took a deep breath and descended into a squat by hinging at the hips and bending her knees while maintaining her grip on the straps Through her full range of motion, van Ulft lowered steadily until her knees were fully bent and her hips eclipsed parallel. Upon exhaling, she propelled upward. Despite a tremble, she overcame the resistance, elevating her torso and fully extending her hips and knees at lockout. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) She recently displayed her Olympic weightlifting capacity in an audition for Canada’s Got Talent Terry loves changing lives through coaching and the written word in Kinesiology and is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer Find out more about Terry's training services here: terrys-training.ck.page/b777772623 "Rory can do weightlifting as long as she wants," said the young athlete's mother   Aurora Rory van Ulft has impressed the world once again Aurora van Ulft is a 9-year-old girl who managed to deadlift 111 kilos (244 lbs) which accounts for more than 3x her body weight Rory van Ulft is a 3x US Youth National Weightlifting Champion. She is gathering fame online for her determination and impressive lifts at such a young age. Recently, she shared on her Instagram what appears to be her PR deadlift – she chose the sumo deadlift technique for it. According to the caption on her Instagram, Rory was exactly 9 years and 217 days when she performed an impressive 111 kilos (244 lbs) deadlift. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) the deadlift she performed is actually 3.43 times her body weight By now you should already be impressed by this feat but check out these other facts to have your mind blown one kilo heavier than the 2nd heaviest all-time raw deadlift in the Men’s Youth division 53-kilogram class which was done by Elbrus Dzhatiev at the 2019 Power Global Powerlifting Alliance (GPA) European Cup 110 kilos is currently the 3rd heaviest all-time raw deadlift in the Men’s Youth division 66-kilogram class a 9-year-old girl who weighs only 32 kilos has performed a heavier deadlift than one of the heaviest deadlifts of all time from the boys’ division weighing 53kg and 66kg In April this year, she did the same deadlift but with “only” 100 kilos she shared a video deadlifting 90 kilos (a 3.1x her body weight at the time) Read More: 10-Year-Old Bennett Wins Dead-Hang Challenge Set By Mat Fraser The content on BOXROX is provided solely for informational and educational purposes Our website is not meant to replace professional fitness and health advice BOXROX® is a registered trademark in the US, UK and EU BOXROX and its content is not affiliated with CrossFit CrossFit® is a registered trademark of CrossFit Van Ulft becomes the youngest person to clean & jerk double their bodyweight in competition View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) A mind-bending achievement for someone of her young age aside van Ulft’s clean & jerk wasn’t her only major accomplishment from the Toronto contest the athlete broke six Canadian provincial 15U and 17U records on previous lifts during the competition The final double-body weight clean & jerk appeared to act more like gravy layered over an already prolific day for the youthful elite competitor The parent/manager of van Ulft’s Instagram credited a few people for training van Ulft to enjoy such a productive day while simultaneously making history who can be seen in the background of the clip of van Ulft’s milestone encouraging the lifter Others receiving praise included trainers like “Cierra” (last name undisclosed) and the CANAM Strength and Conditioning team from van Ulft’s native Ottawa The Ontario Weightlifting Association (ONWA) also earned a shoutout “An enormous thank you to Coach [Moorman] (who deserves to win Coach of the Year in at least one country for this!), [Cierra] and the entire [CANAM Strength and Conditioning] team for their incredible support at this event as well as to the [Ontario Weightlifting Association] for putting on such a fun and welcoming event!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) and van Ulft is already acting as a lifting pioneer for her age group and beyond If this is how the athlete starts a fresh new calendar time will only tell as to what other sparkling heights she might achieve through the ensuing 11 months The two-time US Youth National Champion locked out three times her bodyweight Written by Phil BlechmanLast updated on April 3rd A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: Powerlifter Rudy Kadlub Sets 4 IPL World Records at 2021 USPA Drug-Tested National Championships] Despite performing a massive deadlift, van Ulft’s competitive background is as a weightlifter. She is the current US Youth National Weightlifting champion at 30 kilograms in the 13 & Under division, having won back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021 Her win in 2020 cemented her spot as the youngest ever USA national weightlifting champion *Rory van Ulft was seven years old at the time of this competition *Rory van Ulft was eight years old at the time of this competition van Ulft’s performance set national records in both lifts and total the previous records were all scored in June 2019 by Lilli Shelton van Ulft’s 35-kilogram (77.2-pound) snatch matches the youth national record in the next weight class up (33-kilograms) The 2022 US Youth National Championships are scheduled for June 25 through July 3 as part of USA Weightlifting Nationals Week Can van Ulft score a defend her title for the three-peat Organizers of the 56th International Carillon Festival in Washington Park that begins this weekend have expanded the entertainment offerings this year to include non-carillon acts Groups scheduled to play in-between the carillonneurs include the cast from Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” at the Springfield Muni the Trinity Wind Ensemble and the Springfield Municipal Band carillonneur for the Springfield Park District said inclusion of the non-carillon acts should benefit everyone They could draw a few more spectators to the festival and will also expose the bands to the traditional festival crowd “They bring very high quality music to the festival,” van Ulft said “I’m hoping to give them more exposure and give us more exposure.” The carillon festival kicks off Sunday and continues through Friday with top-notch carillonneurs from around the world performing the festival will end with a fireworks show at dusk on Friday Carillonneurs scheduled to perform at this year’s show include Frans Haagen from The Netherlands Van Ulft said he has asked the carillonneurs to avoid “academic” pieces and instead perform music that is more recognizable to a general audience “I gave them the task that they needed to put together programs that appealed to a wide audience “There are some people who play fairly popular music and others play more classical I wanted to have a wide variety of music.” Van Ulft said the festival at Washington Park is well known among the worldwide carillon community “I think we are the only one that goes for almost a full week and has been continually going for 56 years I don’t know anywhere else in the world where they have a similar festival,” van Ulft said and that’s why the carillon players are quite eager to come here and be a part of the festival.” In addition to drawing performers from around the world the festival draws visitors from across the United States Massachusetts and Maine are expected to attend “There are certain people who are carillon aficionados They come here for a week and party along with us,” van Ulft said Another new addition to the festival this year will be an area where people 21 and over can buy wine or beer director of recreation and marketing for the park district “We feel this is a wonderful setting where adults might want to partake in an imported beer or a glass of wine while they are enjoying the festival… It’s something we’re looking to grow even bigger for next year’s festival.” People can bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on while they enjoy the music –Contact John Reynolds: john.reynolds@sj-r.com The 56th International Carillon Festival will start on Sunday and continues through Friday at the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon in Washington Park This year’s festival will include some acts not directly associated with carillon The lineup of the performers is as follows: – The cast from Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” at the Springfield Muni (Duet with premiers of new carillon compositions.) (including music for “Electronics and Carillon”) Dusk – International Carillon Festival Fireworks (with additional noise on the carillon by Carlo van Ulft) The huge deadlift is an appropriate feat for the "strongest kid ever." At nine years old, most kids are probably riding their bikes or playing video games with their friends in their free time. The prolific nine-year-old weightlifter Rory van Ulft (30KG) spends much of her downtime showing off incredible strength for her age by lifting heavy weights A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: How to Do the Goblet Squat for Lower Body Size and Mobility] Notably, van Ulft’s loaded barbell does shift a bit as she initially tries to lock out her rep she manages to complete a lockout on a lift that would likely count in an official powerlifting competition van Ulft’s deadlift is one kilogram (2.2 pounds) above the USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Youth Boys’ division record in the 67.5KG weight class — a category over twice her size Jackson Bo Jensen holds that official mark of 110 kilograms (242.5 pounds) from the 2021 USAPL Youth Nationals van Ulft’s achievement holds up to an impressive par Her new massive deadlift from training is similarly one kilogram (2.2 pounds) higher than the second-heaviest all-time raw deadlift in the Men’s Youth division 53-kilogram weight class Elbrus Dzhatiev owns that figure with a pull of 110 kilograms (242.5 pounds) at the 2019 Global Powerlifting Alliance (GPA) European Cup A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: The Best Landmine Workouts for More Muscle and Better Conditioning] Based on her rapid training progress in recent years a deadlift like this might have been inevitable for van Ulft In September 2021, when she was eight, the weightlifter deadlifted 80 kilograms (176.4 pounds). Earlier this year, in April 2022, the athlete scored a beltless deadlift of 90 kilograms (198.4 pounds). For someone whose social media is rife with clips of snatches and clean & jerks to prepare for her primary niche as a weightlifter van Ulft showing versatile strength on a lift outside of that competitive sphere is plenty commendable van Ulft has not revealed any upcoming plans for formal competition it might not be long before she defends her title again The athlete might parlay her training milestones into a fourth National Championship whenever she is seen on a sanctioned weightlifting platform once more Carillonneurs from across the United States Belgium and the Netherlands will be performing at the 57th International Carillon Festival in Washington Park next week The event kicks off Sunday and continues through Friday the festival will end with a fireworks show at dusk on June 8 said this year’s festival will feature a wide variety of musical styles Some of the carillonneurs will play music specifically written for the carillon “The requirement from me is that they bring programs that appeal to a wide “Our audience is not just one style of people It’s not like going to a concert hall where people know they will only get this style or that instrument There will be a lot of variety at the festival.” Organizers of this year’s festival decided to keep a feature that they added last year: the inclusion of local These acts will kick off the entertainment each night and include the Trinity Summer Band directed by Jan Zepp; the Springfield Municipal Band directed by Tom Philbrick; the cast from “Mamma Mia!” at the Legacy Theatre; the Springfield Saxes Saxophone Quartet directed by Ken Pratt; and the Illinois Army National Guard’s 144th Army Band Van Ulft said the inclusion of the non-carillon acts went over well last year It makes for a bigger and nicer event,” van Ulft said director of recreation for the Springfield Park District said the Friday fireworks finale at dusk is one of the most spectacular fireworks show in the park district They set the fireworks off over the golf course so you have a gorgeous view through the tree line across from the botanical area,” Saputo said People can bring blankets or folding chairs to the performances Contact John Reynolds: john.reynolds@sj-r.com The cast from “Mamma Mia!” at the Legacy Theatre The Illinois Army National Guard’s 144th Army Band Dusk: Fireworks with accompaniment by Carlo van Ulft on the carillon van Ulft locked out 66 kilograms (145.5 pounds) at a bodyweight of 32.8 kilograms (72.4 pounds) Written by Phil BlechmanLast updated on April 29th With just over two weeks before her 10th birthday van Ulft became the youngest athlete ever to clean & jerk twice her body weight in competition at nine years and 350 days old courtesy of van Ulft’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cnur65aJ0bB/ [Related: IWF Releases 2024 Paris Olympic Games Qualification Ranking Leaderboards] Check out the entirety of van Ulft’s performance in the video below at the following timestamps: [Related: International Weightlifting Federation Announces Results of Athletes’ Commission Elections] Her form stayed the course as her third attempt looked as smooth as her first but the barbell was controlled overhead and received the down call from the judges for a good lift Featured image via OWA LiveStream’s YouTube channel Another immensely heavy lift by the young female weightlifter that exceeds the world record in the USAPL Youth Boys division The three-time US Youth National Weightlifting Champion took to her Instagram page on Sept. 12, 2022, to share a video wherein she pulled that weight in a sumo stance while wearing lifting straps. In the video, it does not appear as though she is wearing a lifting belt* *Note: the lighting in the video is such that it isn’t entirely clear if van Ulft is wearing a lifting belt A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) [Related: Watch World Champion Weightlifter Lu Xiaojun Get Back in Shape for the 2024 Olympic Games] This deadlift was 3.43 times van Ulft’s body weight of 32.36 kilograms at the time of the lift. Despite a significant hip shift during the lift, van Ulft still managed to successfully lock out the weight. It would almost certainly be judged as a successful lift were it performed in a sanctioned powerlifting meet For context as to how heavy van Ulft’s 111-kilogram (244.7-pound) lift is the second heaviest all-time raw deadlift in the Men’s Youth division 53-kilogram class is Elbrus Dzhatiev’s 110-kilogram (242.5-pound) from the 2019 Global Powerlifting Alliance (GPA) European Cup 110 kilograms (242.5 pounds) is the third heaviest all-time raw deadlift in the Men’s Youth division 66-kilogram class Van Ulft has consistently lifted very heavy for several years, progressively building to this lift. When she was eight, she pulled 80 kilograms (176.4 pounds). In April 2022, van Ulft pulled a 90-kilogram (198.4-pound) deadlift beltless in training If van Ulft can clean up that hip shift while maintaining the weight on the barbell she will be a contender for a fourth national championship when she opts to compete again We’ll see what van Ulft ups the weight next time she records a heavy lift in the gym has been raising eyebrows with her weightlifting achievements recently becoming the youngest under-11 and under-13s US Youth National Champion in history Rory took up weightlifting about two years ago She had started doing gymnastics but learned that she could get injured doing certain things She started lifting weights in the the snatch and the clean and jerk styles under the careful supervision of a trainer and gradually developed her strength to the point that she now lifts weights that some adults would probably struggle with and deadlift 80kg using an Olympic women’s bar Photo: Victor Freitas/Unsplash “When she first started, I hated it,” Lindsay Noad, Rory’s mother, told CBC “It was so scary watching [her] lift those heavy ‘I am so proud of you!’ She’s really cool and she can do amazing things.” A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) The mere thought of a seven-year-old girl lifting weights several times her bodyweight is controversial with many pointing out the risk of injury Rory is exposed to but both her family and her coaches disagree claiming that she has both a family doctor and a sports medicine pediatrician looking after her and that her coaches never load her with excessive weights A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) “For myself and a lot of other coaches abroad even one injury in a child is too many,” Greg Chinn we never load her with what we would consider to be maximum weights.” A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory van Ulft finished eight out of thirteen kids at the U.S despite being the youngest competitor by two years so no one was shocked that at this years championships A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) “Based on her current Sinclair total Rory is not only the strongest seven-year-old in the world she is likely also the strongest seven-year-old girl or boy who has ever lived for whom there are verifiable competition results,” the girl’s father “In terms of Rory’s relative strength compared to all the national champions in the lowest girls’ developmental age and weight categories, which vary from country to country, there is currently no one better competing,” Cavan added A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory’s impressive Sinclair total of 213.738 at this year’s U.S National Youth Championships makes her the best pound-for-pound 11-and-under lifter in the United States A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) considers herself a gymnast first and foremost but says that she loves getting stronger as a result of weightlifting as this allows her to do new things in her gymnastics routines A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Being stronger lets me do more and get better at everything I try I don’t think about what came before I just clear my mind and do it,” she said A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) whose deadlifting routine at age 7 sparked controversy online The KWPN Keur stallion Ulft has passed away at age 26 The bay stallion by Le Mexico out of Pia (Pericles xx x Waldo) died at Agnes Dalemans' farm in The Netherlands but also fathered several international dressage horses including Argentile Gullit and 1998 European junior rider champion Habibi Ulft was a very successful show horse himself Dutch Grand Prix rider Coby van Baalen presented him in the show ring "He was the first licensed stallion I got to ride," Van Baalen said "Ulft was then owned by Mr van Tuyl from Gameren and he put him in training with me to be shown there were still special classes for stallions called "bestgaand rijpaard" (best performing riding horse) It was always a battle between Ulft and Uniform." Ulft lived with Agnes Dalemans the final 11 years of his life Last year he was officially retired and enjoyed a very happy life If he wanted to go outside to enjoy the sun Related LinksKWPN Foundation Sires and Their Get: Uniform, Cocktail, FerroGribaldi Proclaimed Keur StallionHouston Proclaimed Keur Stallion Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Ottawa’s Rory van Ulft Rory became the youngest person to lift double their body weight in Olympic-style weightlifting during the Variety Village Open in Toronto two weeks ago Rory van Ulft is a nine-year-old from Ottawa who competes in Olympic weightlifting Rory van Ulft lines up with other lifters at the Variety Village Open Van Ulft was the youngest in her group of 12 female lifters in the Toronto event Rory van Ulft shows her red hands at the Variety Village Open weightlifting competition Van Ulft lifts way more than anyone else of her age and weight chats with coach Spencer Moorman before training and Cavan van Ulft celebrate Rory van Ulft’s 66-kilogram world-record lift at the Variety Village Open Ottawa’s Rory van Ulft is part of a small but seemingly growing group of Canadian youngsters who are starting weightlifting at ever younger ages but there’s no missing Aurora (Rory) van Ulft at a weightlifting competition That’s what happens when you’re nine years old carry a stuffed reindeer called Lucy Moosey and then set an astonishing world record Rory became the youngest person to lift double their body weight in Olympic-style weightlifting during the Variety Village Open in Toronto two weeks ago Standing four-foot-four and weighing 32.8 kilograms the Ottawa preteen lifted 66 kilograms in the clean and jerk bringing the barbell to her shoulders before thrusting it overhead American Olympian Clarence Cummings had been the youngest to lift double their weight, doing it a decade ago when he was 11 years old “To see her do it within four years of lifting says a lot about the hours and effort that she’s put in,” Moorman says “That’s one of the major things that separates Rory from almost every other child lifter: She puts in the effort There are many outdated beliefs about the dangers weightlifting poses to children despite the many accolades and overwhelmingly positive comments on her Instagram page there is still criticism about Rory lifting at such a young age “When you say that your five-year-old daughter is about to start Olympic weightlifting She shouldn’t be doing this,’” says Rory’s mom “One of the things we’ve really focused on who doesn’t have a phone or much to do with her online presence Noad and van Ulft didn’t set out to create a weightlifting prodigy They just wanted to keep their daughter safe in the sport she loves most: gymnastics so when Rory was five and invited to join a competitive gymnastics team they started researching Van Ulft was “terrified by the statistics” he found on injuries and health concerns in gymnastics and landed on weightlifting as a route to reduce those dangers and then it just turned out that Rory was good at it,” he says in a small but seemingly growing group of Canadian youngsters who are starting weightlifting earlier and achieving impressive results because of it That trend has been entirely driven by a few club coaches and some provincial associations has long had a “philosophical barrier” to developing youth competitors (13 to 17) explains Weightlifting Canada president Craig Walker but a belief that Canadian youth would get discouraged if they competed internationally against countries with established Becoming a successful weightlifter isn’t about bulging muscles but mastering the technique of the two lifts — the snatch and the clean and jerk — and that takes time Top coaches have long argued that kids in Canada need to start learning the fundamentals much younger and provincial bodies such as the Ontario Weightlifting Association have started to include competition categories for younger ages Walker says there is now “a broad recognition across more of the leadership at the provincial and national level that for us to sustain or grow the sport we need to get people into the sport at a younger age where they’re getting more technical development at an earlier age so that they are international class as seniors.” Of the five Canadian weightlifters who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, three started as children from ages six to 10. Gold medallist Maude Charron wanted to start when she was seven, but her parents steered her to other sports. She found weightlifting through CrossFit at 20. Expanding youth participation is also vital for a sport looking to escape its doping reputation and maintain a place on the Olympic program Weightlifting Canada, a volunteer-run organization, doesn’t track juveniles but now counts close to 400 youth competitors aged 13 to 17 a massive increase over the “handful” who used to compete That growth and change in philosophy has led the national body to put in place safe-sport policies for youth lifters and Canada will hold its first youth national championships this summer But that focus has not trickled down to athletes under 13 “If we see that there’s a demand from a fairly high number of juvenile athletes who have shown some proficiency in competition there’s nothing to stop us from looking at hosting an online juvenile nationals,” Walker says Canada’s youngest lifters are crossing the border to compete in the American championships run by USA Weightlifting It includes categories down to 11 and under Other Canadians who have won there include Ivy-Marie Buzinhani Brustello so we’re not really that concerned about the weight being too much,” Walker says of the young lifters “The impact on the body from doing those lifts when it’s done well is a lot less than what you’re experiencing in gymnastics or hockey or football.” a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario says the long-standing negative bias to weight training for children and claims that it stunts growth or damages growth plates are not backed by science or injury studies they’d be cause for concern in other sports that involve high velocity and complex movements such as gymnastics adding the risks in any sport can be mitigated by good technique Moorman remembers Rory when she was “just a little bean of a person” walking into his gym in Ottawa But he was impressed when she quickly picked up a jumping exercise that demanded muscle co-ordination and timing “There’s more than just a kid here,” he says Execution was what she had in mind at the Variety Village competition. Rory had lifted double her body weight in training and wanted to do it in competition before her 10th birthday. Her first three lifts were in the snatch, where she brings the weight overhead in one movement. She was successful at 44, 46 and 47 kilograms. The weight that flashed up on the board was 64 kilograms He had been pacing nervously before all of her lifts Rory asked her coach to put the weight to 66 “If we’re going to take this (weight up),” Moorman replied “it’s not just because you want it but because you are confident that you can do it.” who has six Ontario records in the 15-and-under and 17-and-under categories She was the youngest in her group of 12 female lifters in the Toronto event “It would definitely be nice to have more kids in the sport so I could it’s fine because I don’t have many people to compete against.” Rory says weightlifting gives her confidence it is still gymnastics that takes up most of her time — 16 hours a week to weightlifting’s three — and seems to be her favourite sport (She also surprised her parents by joining the volleyball team at school where she’s in Grade 5 after skipping a year.) “She loves gymnastics; she’s good at weightlifting,” van Ulft says Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Rory Van Ulft's Squat - Image credit @roryvanulft Instagram Rory Van Ulft needed no assistance during her recent training session, walking up to the squat rack and coming out with a 109-kilogram (240.3-pound) barbell on her back. Moreover, she only used some knee protection, missing out on the lifting belt or any other accessories. Rory was also extremely confident, deciding to perform the lift without a spotter behind her. Rory Van Ulft first braced herself for the squat, following it up by descending her body down to an impressively deep position. She quickly started ascending back up, but found herself in a sticking point. Luckily, Rory was persistent, managing to grind out the lift and reach the locked out position. She then walked off with a smile on her face, showing that she was satisfied with how the lift moved. *Brianna Morrison holds the official U43KG IPF Sub-Junior Squat World Record of 108-kg (238-lb), which she set at the 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. It is important to note that Brianna was 17-years-old when she set the record, while Rory Van Ulft is just 11-years-old at the moment. “1 kg above the IPF World Sub-Junior Women’s Classic Record.” Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter and the support you need to reach your goals and a whole lot of motivation heading your way A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 8-year-old Weightlifter Rory Van Ulft Completes 90kg Deadlift Rory Van Ulft has proved that she would dominate powerlifting on multiple occasions. So, apart from the recent squat, Rory has also previously shared some huge deadlifts. Most notably, Rory locked out a 130-kilogram (286.6-pound) beltless deadlift when she was just 10-years-old. Another notable achievement in her resume is a 121-kilogram (266.8-pound) Zercher squat Rory Van Ulft is also passionate about gymnastics, meaning that she possesses another impressive set of skills. In turn, Rory has goals of making it to the Olympics at some point in her career. Judging from what she has achieved so far, it just seems like it is a matter of time before she achieves her dream. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 13-YO Emily Ibanez Crushes a 165-kg (363.8-lb) Squat Personal Record in Training Rory Van Ulft’s squat power goes hand-in-hand with her career in weightlifting her 109-kilogram (240.3-pound) squat shows that she is making improvements and is ready to continue building her legacy It is not clear what her next challenge will be but there is no doubt that she will continue reaching mind-blowing milestones If you have questions or need clarifications, please leave a comment below Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" At Fitness Volt, our mission is to empower every individual on their fitness journey by providing expert advice, the latest research, and comprehensive resources. Whether you are a beginner or an elite athlete, we are here to support your goals with trustworthy and up-to-date information in strength, fitness, and nutrition. Read more Email: [email protected] About Us | Careers | Contact Form © Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved. © Copyright 2010 - 2024 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved. ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Published on10 December, 2024 | 10:52 AM EDT Rory van Ulft Scores Unofficial C&J World Record - Image credit @roryvanulft Instagram Rory van Ulft opened up her session with a 52-kilogram (114.6-pound) Snatch. Having lifted more in the past, she was confident in completing the lift and ultimately made it look very easy. She then decided to increase her next attempt by an increment of 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds), progressing toward her goal but not making unnecessary jumps. Rory’s lift was once again successful, allowing her to go even heavier for the one attempt that was remaining. Rory van Ulft decided to load an additional 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) on the barbell, pushing it to 56 kilograms (123.5 pounds) in total. Coming out to nearly 1.5x her bodyweight, Rory was up for an immense challenge. However, she remained composed and managed to snatch the bar above her head and stand upright to officially confirm the success of her lift. While Rory van Ulft is certainly impressive in the Snatch, her prowess in the Clean & Jerk is even more mind-blowing. However, things didn’t seem to start off right on this occasion since Rory was unsuccessful on her opener of 72 kilograms (158.7 pounds). It was purely due to a technical mishap that Rory fixed on her remaining two attempts. Knowing that her first attempt was not a reflection of her strength, Rory van Ulft decided to go up to 75 kilograms (165.3 pounds) for her second attempt. This was still below her one-rep max, but it gave Rory something to fall back on, especially considering how big of a risk she would take on the final attempt. With just one attempt left, Rory van Ulft decided to try and exceed the U40KG IWF Youth World Record. So, she loaded 78 kilograms (172 pounds) on the barbell. The Clean portion of the lift looked impressive, as Rory caught the bar on her shoulders and squatted up to prepare for the next part. The Jerk was arguably even more impressive, as Rory locked out the lift with ease but just needed a second to stabilize herself. Consequently, she ended up with an unofficial world record. Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free! Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way. *Preetismita Bhoi holds the current U40KG IWF Clean & Jerk Youth World Record, having lifted 76-kg (167.6-lb) at the 2024 Youth Weightlifting World Championships. Bhoi was 15-years-old at the time of the lift. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 11-YO Weightlifter Rory Van Ulft Squats 109-kg (240.3-lb) For an Unofficial IPF Raw Sub-Junior World Record The Youth age class in the IWF is set for athletes between 13 and 17 years old showing that Rory van Ulft is still much younger than the athletes whose records she is unofficially breaking it proves that she still has time to improve and get ready for her debut at an IWF-sanctioned event Rory van Ulft is also passionate about gymnastics, meaning that she is an athlete with an array of exceptional skills. She has also set her goals accordingly, hoping to make it to the Olympics at some point in her career Rory’s goal does not seem far-fetched at all Email: [email protected] Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network by Published on Jun 17 Rory Van Ulft has accomplished a lot at just 11 years old and is logging lifts that can compete with athletes older than her. She is competing at the 2024 USA Weightlifting Nationals, which began on Saturday and will run through Sunday, in Pittsburgh. She turned head with a 77kg (169.8lb) Clean & Jerk which unofficially broke the U17 world record Van Ulft had two successful lifts before she decided to attempt the world record It began with a 71kg (156.5lb) lift before a 74kg (163.1lb) completion on her second attempt Van Ulft weighed 37.95kg (83.7lb) at the time of the lift The current world record is held by Preetismita Bhoi She set it at 76kg (167.6lb) at the 2024 Youth World Weightlifting Championships A post shared by hookgrip (@hookgrip) Rory Van Ulft’s entire performance over the weekend was incredible She came within 4kg (8.8lb) of the U17 Snatch record as well She had three successful lifts that ended with a third and final attempt of 58kg (127.9lb) Van Ulft’s overall total was 135kg (297.6lb) which was just one kilogram away from the unofficial world record Van Ulft has been training for years now and ha made great strides at just 11 years old It will be interesting to see where how career progresses and goes from here A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) While performing the clean & jerk will bring about an array of benefits, care is advised. The clean & jerk technique is tricky start light and be willing to spend time refining your technique Start by assuming a hip-width stance and place both feet directly under the bar place the hands slightly wider than shoulder-width Drop the hips down, engage the ab core muscles, lift the chest and squeeze between the shoulder blades before initiating the pull the shoulders should be in front of the bar focus on driving the heels through the floor and extending only at the knees ensure that the bar stays as tight to the body as possible The second pull begins when the knees are fully extended and the barbell is just above the height of the knees the bar should begin to significantly accelerate Having extended at the knees in the first pull the knees should then begin to move forward so that the trunk assumes a more vertical position the bar should stay tight to the legs as it moves up the thigh and the core should remain engaged throughout The third pull is initiated when you assume the power position The power position is when you are standing almost vertically with a slight bend in the knees and hips with the bar in contact with the crease of the hips To drive the bar upward in a vertical path This is a rapid and simultaneous extension of the hips When the bar makes contact with the hips, it should then be aggressively pulled upward. A combination of triple extension and upper body pull will drive the bar upward you should quickly drop down into a squat in order to catch the bar on the front of the shoulders you must then powerfully drive through the heels to a standing position For the jerk, drop the elbows and widen your grip on the bar slightly Push the chest up and engage the core before initiating the jerk There are two jerking methods. For the full jerk very rapidly dip at the knees and hips and simultaneously fully extend at the elbows to lock the bar overhead and stand dip and shoot one leg out in front and one behind the body while driving the bar overhead Take a moment to stabilize and then walk both feet to a standing position For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports Generation Iron is the first and only digital network delivering health We deliver premium content with the biggest names in fitness and provide expert coverage workout tips and trends in the worlds of fitness Generation Iron Brands LLC134 West 29th Street Suite 902New York, NY 10001Email: [email protected] © 2025 · Generation Iron · Disclaimers · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Rory Van Ulft Zercher Squat - Image credit @roryvanulft Instagram Rory Van Ulft is arguably the greatest young prospect in the strength community, as she is just 11-years-old but is lifting weights that are unfathomable even for girls significantly older than her. Despite still being in her pre-teen years, Rory has recently managed to lock out a mind-blowing 121-kilogram (266.8-pound) Zercher Squat in training. Weighing in at approximately 38 kilograms (83.8 pounds), Rory Van Ulft’s Zercher Squat came out to be over 3.15x her bodyweight. This would be an incredible achievement for every athlete, let alone one who is just 11-years-old. However, this is becoming a standard for Rory since the proportions of her lifts are always impressive. In order to perform her Zercher Squat, Rory Van Ulft put on a pair of elbow sleeves with the goal of easing the pain that comes with holding the barbell in this manner. Moreover, she used a strap that went around her neck, which helped her hold on to the immensely heavy bar. When it came to the lift, Rory set up a wide stance and braced for the challenge. She then dropped down below parallel, similar to how she does during her snatch or clean & jerk lifts. However, because of this, the ascent was even more difficult for her. In turn, Rory had to grind for a few seconds, rising inch by inch, until she finally reached full lockout. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 10-Year-Old Rory Van Ulft Locks Out 130-kg (286.6-lb) Beltless Deadlift In Training; Over 3.8x Her Bodyweight Rory Van Ulft’s 121-kilogram (266.8-pound) Zercher Squat is impressive in multiple ways it is heavier than the U43KG Sub-Junior IPF Standard Squat World Record although the Zercher squat is notoriously more difficult than the standard one Rory is still able to unofficially outperform the World Record by 13 kilograms (28.7 pounds) It is not surprising to see Rory Van Ulft unofficially beat world records, as she recently had a similar achievement. Specifically, she locked out a 77-kilogram (169.8-pound) Clean & Jerk, which was heavier than the U17-YO World Record as well All things considered, it is clear that Rory would be successful in multiple sports. However, she has dedicated herself to Weightlifting, and her career is already impressive. At 11-years-old, Rory is already a 5x Youth National Champion. Moreover, she was the youngest person ever to achieve a Clean & Jerk of 2x her bodyweight back in 2023 Moreover, Rory Van Ulft is hopeful of competing in the Olympics at some point of her life. Well, that goal is already looking very realistic, since she is stronger than her peers and even those older than her. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 9-Year-Old Rory Van Ulft Deadlifts Gargantuan 111-kg (244.7-lb); 3.43x Her Bodyweight Rory Van Ulft’s 121-kilogram (266.8-pound) Zercher Squat is another incredible achievement on her resume and her appearance at the Canada’s Got Talent show it is definitely worth keeping an eye on the further development of Rory’s career.  Email: [email protected] by Published on Jul 29 11-year-old weightier and powerlifter Rory van Ulft recently performed an astounding 266 lb Zercher squat in training The Canadian-born van Ulft is a five-time US Youth National Champion and is proving to be one to watch in the strength world Aurora ‘Rory’ van Ulft has to be pound for pound one of the strongest humans on the planet The kinds of lifts she’s able to pull off are something you’d expect from a much more seasoned That said van Ulft has a clear love of lifting and is pursuing the endeavor with focused dedication Utilizing her unique talent for weightlifting van Ulft has appeared on talent shows like Canada’s Got Talent van Ulft wowed judges with her incredible strength that has to be seen to be believed A post shared by Canada’s Got Talent – CGT (@cangottalent) While dedicated to weightlifting and powerlifting it’s imperative that van Ulft has multiple outlets training in a multitude of disciplines A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) But as mentioned before, weightlifting seems to be a major focus for Rory van Ulft. She utilizes Olympic lifting to strengthen her performance in all her athletic endeavors. Recently van Ulft performed an insane 266 lb Zercher squat A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory van Ulft is a true inspiration for anyone looking to get into strength training regardless of their age and the ability to pick yourself up after failure over and over But by pushing through and doing consistent training anything is possible For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube and Instagram Generation Iron Brands LLC134 West 29th Street Suite 902New York, NY 10001Email: [email protected] Rory Van Ulft Unofficial World Record - Image credit @roryvanulft & @hookgrip Instagram Rory Van Ulft’s career has been nothing short of spectacular. This statement might not seem peculiar at first, but when you add the fact that she is just 11-years-old, it becomes absolutely mind-blowing. Well, Rory recently participated in the 2024 USA Weightlifting Nationals, which are taking place from June 15-23, in Pittsburgh, PA. There Rory managed to Clean & Jerk 77 kilograms (169.8 pounds) to Unofficially break the Under 17-YO (Youth) World Record. Rory Van Ulft started the Clean & Jerk session with an attempt of 71 kilograms (156.5 pounds). She then moved on to 74 kilograms (163.1 pounds) for the second attempt and was once again successful. Ultimately, Rory Van Ulft decided to attempt a 77-kilogram (169.8-pound) Clean & Jerk, claiming two accomplishments for the price of one. Firstly, she unofficially broke the World Record in the under 17-YO age class / 40-kilogram weight class. Secondly, she achieved a 2x her bodyweight Clean & Jerk, as she weighed only 37.95 kilograms (83.7 pounds) at the time. *The current official U17-YO / U40KG World Record belongs to Preetismita Bhoi, who Clean & Jerked 76-kg (167.6-lb) at the 2024 Youth World Weightlifting Championships. A post shared by hookgrip (@hookgrip) Related: 9-yo Rory Van Ulft Becomes The Youngest Person To Clean & Jerk 2x Her Bodyweight In Competition, Locking Out 66-kg (145.5-lb) As expected, Rory Van Ulft had an impeccable performance overall as well, successfully completing all six of her attempts. In turn, she outperformed her closest rival in the 40-kilogram weight class by a margin of 51 kilograms (112.4 pounds), which is once again unbelievable. Rory Van Ulft opened up fairly close to her limits with a snatch of 54 kilograms (119 pounds). So, she added an additional 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) over the two remaining attempts, closing out the event with a lift of 58 kilograms (127.9 pounds). For reference, this is just 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) lighter than the U17 World Record, set by a girl multiple years older than her. So, it is safe to say that the snatch record is in danger as well. If she had added one more kilogram (2.2 pounds) to her total, Rory Van Ulft would have Unofficially broken this U17-YO World Record as well. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 9-Year-Old Rory Van Ulft Deadlifts Gargantuan 111-kg (244.7-lb); 3.43x Her Bodyweight Rory Van Ulft has been training weightlifting for multiple years now and has steadily been improving with every appearance. She has been impressing everyone with other gym lifts as well, having deadlifted 130 kilograms (286.6 pounds) in training before so fulfilling her goal is looking very likely Email: [email protected] Rory van Ulft has yet again taken powerlifting enthusiasts by surprise after doing Zercher squats with a whopping 266 lbs (121kg) Rory has been a five-time champion of US National Youth Weightlifting 115 kg is considered to be the average weight that can be lifted by an adult male weightlifter while doing a Zercher squat as per Strength Level what Rory has displayed in this post on her Instagram page is clearly above and beyond anybodys imagination Rory has been an inspiration for everyone who watched her on Canada's Got Talent She started her act with gymnastics but then turned her bar prop into a weighted one This brought her much-deserved appreciation and recognition from across the world Watch Rory's audition video on Canada's Got Talent's YouTube channel: Netizens speculated that Rory would become a pro bodybuilder when she grows up. Comparing her with one of the greatest powerlifters of his time, one person said she was one step away from becoming the next Ronnie Coleman in the post's comments: Rory's powerlifting videos are all over her social media but her doing the Zercher squat gets the most appreciation She managed to lift 3.15 times her body weight and and 13 kg more than the IPF-43kg sub-junior women’s classic back squat world record A Zercher squat is done by placing the weight-laden bar into one's bent elbows Unlike other weighted squats where the weight works against the major joints in line with each other the Zercher squat requires the lifter to hold the weights while maintaining a form where the joints are not aligned The elbows are joints with a linear range of motion and this type of squat tests the elbow's resistance to collapse This makes this squat very difficult to execute Rory's strength is exemplary especially for her age she once claimed in one fun competitive video titled 'Am I Stronger than World's Strongest 10-year Old?' shared by Will Tennyson on his YouTube that she rests less and eats a lot of candy Your perspective matters!Start the conversation Updated by Tom Miller, CSCS Rory Van Ulft 130kg Deadlift - image credit @roryvanulft Instagram As seen in a recent Instagram post, Rory Van Ulft loaded 130 kilograms (286.6 pounds) on the barbell and approached it with nothing but a pair of lifting straps on. She then got comfortable with her sumo stance and started the grind to lockout. After a few seconds of struggle, the weights separated from the floor, and Rory successfully locked it out. The caption of the post stated that the 130-kilogram (286.6-pound) deadlift came out to over 3.8x Rory’s bodyweight. In addition, this is Rory’s first time achieving such an impressive deadlift-to-bodyweight ratio, which marks a significant improvement. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory Van Ulft has become known for her impressive deadlifts, but the reason she does them is to improve her Olympic Weightlifting abilities. It is her primary sport and one that she has been doing ever since she was six years old. Furthermore, Rory is an amazing weightlifter, which she proved recently by becoming the youngest person to Clean & Jerk 2x their bodyweight She did so by lifting 66 kilograms (145.5 pounds) at the 2023 Variety Village Open Rory had to sacrifice a lot to achieve this Clean & Jerk achievement, as she displayed her calloused hands on Instagram. This proved how dedicated she is to growing into one of the greatest athletes ever. Another impressive achievement that Rory Van Ulft has to her name is being the youngest athlete to become a 2x United States Youth Weightlifting National Champion when she was just nine years old. On the other hand, Rory Van Ulft is also an incredible gymnast as well, as she has been dedicating a lot of time to this sport as well. However, Olympic Weightlifting still remains the sport in which she is the greatest. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 9-Year-Old Weightlifter Rory Van Ulft Deadlifts 100 kg (220 lbs), 3.2x Her Bodyweight Rory Van Ulft’s goal is to compete at the Olympic Games and judging by the rate at which she is improving her 130-kilogram (286.6-pound) beltless deadlift proves that she is one of the strongest girls in the world anything that she sets her sights on is possible Email: [email protected] Rory Van Ulft has become known as the "strongest girl in the world," and is capable of bench pressing 175 pounds Canada - Don't let the fact that Rory Van Ulft is only seven years old and a few feet high fool you: She is the strongest girl in the world Rory was recently announced as the US Youth National Champion in weightlifting in the under-11 and under-13 classes making her the youngest American winner ever "It would be fair to say Rory is the strongest little girl in the world," her father Cavan said Rory Van Ulft's bench press makes her the strongest girl in the world Despite being dubbed the strongest girl ever the young Canadian sees herself more as a gymnast than a weightlifter She devotes four hours a week to weight training and nine hours a week to gymnastics because in gymnastics I don't have to lift anything over my head," she apparently told her parents after she won her first gymnastics medal the 7-year-old enjoys her age-unusual hobby: "I like getting stronger Being stronger lets me do more and get better at everything I try." Rory apparently has a soft spot for tattoos and wears temporary ink for her shows: "I wear tattoos because I like them he seems confident when it comes to his daughter's skills She progresses in her training for both sports carefully and methodically," he explained Despite being a full-time athlete Her parents explain that "she is very intelligent and is able to really focus and interpret direction." Her dedication and intelligence is what makes her so "coachable" at such a young age The ambitious girl also has a strong community on Instagram, with about 161,000 people following her account Cover photo: Collage: Screenshots/Instagram/@roryvanulft More on Sports: 8-year-old weightlifter Rory Van Ulft started training shortly after her fifth birthday. She then went on to become the USA Weightlifting Youth National Champion in the 30kg weight class in both under-11 and under-13 division at age seven. The defending champion has attempted several heavy lifts and even succeeded in completing a 90kg deadlift in Sept The lift was nearly 3.1 times her bodyweight which makes it even more impressive Rory Van Ulft rack pulled 103kg on a barbell during a training session Van Ulft recently posted a series of videos on her Instagram story. The videos show her lift incrementally heavy weights as she rack pulled 100kg, 102kg, and 103kg with flawless technique. You can watch the 103kg lift reposted on Fitness Volt’s Instagram here: A post shared by Fitness Volt (@fitnessvoltnetwork) Van Ulft’s powerlifting achievements are impressive Fitness Volt recently sat down with Rory Van Ulft and her parents for an exclusive interview Van Ulft’s parents told Fitness Volt that getting stronger in the lead-up to a competitive gymnastics tryout was the primary reason she got into strength sports (weightlifting and then powerlifting) “That’s still the main reason why I lift—to get stronger for gymnastics.” Rory Van Ulft’s parents said on her behalf Rory Van Ulft won her first gymnastics medal in a local competition a few months back. Following the victory, she told her parents that she likes gymnastics more as it does not involve lifting weights over her head. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory Van Ulft’s training routine reflects her priorities as she spends nine hours of her week training gymnastics as opposed to the three hours she spends with her weightlifting coach. However, the schedule is flexible and changes when she has to prepare for weightlifting competitions. “Most of my weekly training hours are spent in gymnastics. I spend 9 hours a week at the gymnastics gym and 3 hours with my weightlifting coach. In addition, I lift at home another 2-6 hours per week, depending on the season spring and fall I lift more to prepare for meets, winter I lift less around gymnastics competitions, and summer I spend fewer hours in both sports.” Rory’s parents told on her behalf. Most of us struggle to maintain discipline when it comes to following a strict diet. The problem gets worse when discipline has to be instilled in children. While most of us would naturally wonder how this 8-year-old girl adheres to an athlete’s Spartan life, her parents have kept things incredibly simple in this aspect. Rory Van Ulft pretty much consumes the same food that her family and friends eat. However, the only difference is: “The only thing I do differently than other kids my age is that I always try to finish all of my protein at every meal.” Rory Van Ulft’s parents said on her behalf. Rory Van Ulft does benefit from the flexible school program that allows her to accommodate sports activities. However, the 8-year-old powerlifter respects freedom and tries to maintain the balance between her studies and sports training. “Whenever possible I also try to get homework done during recess or when I’m traveling to and from my sports.” Rory Van Ulft’s parents said on her behalf. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory Van Ulft’s next weightlifting competition is the Ontario Youth and Junior Championships on December 4. She will try to defend her titles in the youth 40kg and Junior 45kg weight categories at the event. Her parents told fitness volt that the 8-year-old will take a break from competition after that. Rory plans to focus on powerlifting during the time off. When someone has set themselves on the path to achieving greatness at such an early age, it is natural for us to wonder how far they intend to go. However, Rory Van Ulft is not burdening herself with long-term goals. Instead, she is solely focused on becoming the better version of herself every single day. When Fitness Volt asked Rory Van Ulft’s parents what their daughter’s long-term goals are, they voiced their daughter’s thoughts candidly: “This summer I watched Kuinini Manumua, one of my teammates on my US weightlifting team (Team Divergent), compete at the Tokyo Olympics, which has inspired me to want to follow in her footsteps one day. But at the moment I don’t have any real long-term goals in strength sports. My coach always tells me to take things one day at a time, one lift at a time. So, that’s what I try to do.” After having a candid conversation with Rory Van Ulft and her parents, we believe that her long-term goals take second place in the grand scheme of things. What matters is that Rory has mastered discipline and commitment to her craft. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) If you have any questions or need further clarification about this news, please leave a comment below and Rajneesh will get back to you as soon as possible Email: [email protected] Updated by Ash, ACE, MSc The person managing Rory Van Ulft’s Instagram account revealed an interesting fact about this deadlift in the caption of the post. This 111-kg (244-lb) #deadlift by 9-year-old #weightlifter and #gymnast @roryvanulft is over 3.43 times body weight (beltless) and 1 kg above the all-time #usapl Youth 1 BOYS’ record, set in 2021 by an athlete in the -67.5 kg category—over twice her size.” Rory Van Ulft’s bodyweight at the time of this lift was 32.36 kilograms (71.3 pounds) her lift is much heavier than what the boys of her age can lock out Rory Van Ulft is already a 3x US Youth National Champion in weightlifting and obviously has the potential to become one of the All-Time best in this sport. Her goal is to take part in the Olympics, a feat she has the potential to accomplish through weightlifting and gymnastics. Rory Van Ulft has won the 13 & Under Age Group of the US Weightlifting Nationals for the past three years consecutively. She still has more than three years left in this division, so it is likely that she will achieve one of the most insane win streaks in this competition. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 10-Year-Old Powerlifter Jordan Mica Sets New Deadlift & Squat California State Records Although there are a number of athletes who performed 3.4x bodyweight deadlifts it is unlikely that anyone did it at the age of 9 years old This is an exciting sight to see for powerlifting fans but the chances are that Rory Van Ulft won’t switch sports anytime soon she is en route to becoming a one-of-a-kind weightlifting phenom which will be partially due to her deadlift prowess and Andrew will get back to you as soon as possible Email: [email protected] Most of us didn’t get the grip of the deadlifts until our late teen years Rory attempted to claim her first major PR and scored the 100 kg (220 lbs) deadlift milestone Her attempt was successful after a long battle with the bar She also only weighed 30 kg (66 lbs) at the time of the lift This means that Rory Van Ulft has managed to pull 3.2x her bodyweight.  A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Related: 8-Year-Old Weightlifter Rory Van Ulft Rack Pulls 103kg, Looking To Compete In The Olympics Rory van Ulft’s 100 kg (220 lbs) deadlift even left the 5x WSM Competitor, Travis Ortmayer, in awe, as he left a comment under the post, Holy shit. The deadlifts have a lot of carryover on the snatches and clean & jerks, so Rory’s recent improvement will be very beneficial in her future weightlifting journey. Rory Van Ulft’s lifts at the 2021 US Youth Nationals were also National Records in both events and the total. Her numbers from that competition were:  A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) it would be surprising if Rory Van Ulft does not show up at the 2022 US Youth Nationals Championships The competition will take place from June 25 – to July 3 Rory still has 4 years left in the 13 & Under age division so she will probably absolutely destroy all the records by then if she can deadlift 100 kg (220 lbs) at this age it will be amazing to see how much Rory will pull once she gets into her teen years Email: [email protected] Link Copied!Bodybuilding is definitely not easy and needs a lot of training. People often think that bodybuilding is restricted to a certain age She is a 10-year-old weightlifter and can deadlift 100 kilograms beltless Youth National Weightlifting champion with a gold medal Rory recently shared a new video on Instagram showcasing her impressive deadlift progress as she lifts a heavier weight fans have varying opinions about her technique and form tying the WORLD RECORD listed on openpowerlifting.com (How?s my depth Rory is seen lifting 105kg or 231 lbs of weight on her shoulders with the help of her coach and she succeeds A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Thanks to Coach @moormanlifter and the entire team at @canam_sc for all the support! This is not the first time that she has tried out lifting three times her body weight o camera She had also previously lifted 90 kg or 198.4-pound weight ?She occasionally practices powerlifting when training and she has done record-level lifting While some fans congratulated her on this new achievement Some bodybuilding enthusiasts criticized her form and knees while lifting and wrote some comments Shouldn?t be promoting poor form regardless of how great an athlete she is. you probably will do injury if you try to do that. Another fan also wrote the same thing and said Get her lighter weights and teach a proper technique.” Watch This Story: “Looks Like a Toothpick”: Fitness World Laughs at Strongman Champion Holding an Odd Gym Equipment A 10-year-old is achieving such amazing milestones but fans are commenting on her form. What do you think about the comments? Do you agree with them? EssentiallySports is a digital-first sports media house that surfaces the best stories on America's favorite sports celebrities with a fan's perspective to 30+ M average monthly readers. Full Spectrum Services LLP © 2025 | All Rights Reserved The incredible feat was accomplished at the 2023 Variety Village Open, which took place on January 21st, in Toronto, Canada. Prior to this event, Rory had already broken six provincial 15U and 17U records at the same competition, but this lift served as a cherry on top. Rory Van Ulft’s total score for the day at the competition came out to 254.39 Sinclair. This score means that it was also the best ever official performance by a woman in the 40-kilogram weight class, adding another achievement to Rory’s amazing resume. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory Van Ulft’s name has already been in the headlines, since she has amazed a sum of people with her deadlift prowess. She has achieved various feats of strength, but one of her greatest came in September, when Rory deadlifted 111 kilograms (244.7 pounds) that deadlift came out to 3.43x her bodyweight Considering Rory’s incredible deadlift strength it is easy to understand why her clean and jerk are absolutely incredible Rory Van Ulft’s goal is to compete in the Olympics one day, and she has two ways of doing it. Seeing that both weightlifting and gymnastics are featured at the Olympic Games, it is just a matter of time when Rory will accomplish it. In addition, seeing how dominant she is amongst her peers, Rory could very possibly end up winning some medals there as well. Rory Van Ulft is already a 3x US Youth National Champion, despite competing in the division of 13-years-old or younger. She is constantly beating athletes significantly older than her, while some of her performances are also greater than what many boys of the same division can put up. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) The proportions of the weight that Rory is lifting and her own bodyweight are unfathomable when also taking her age into the equation Rory is clearly putting her name into the history books as one of the greatest and strongest 9-year-olds ever She will be turning 10-years-old in around two weeks from now which will bring some new adventures and mind-blowing feats of strength Email: [email protected] Image Courtesy: Rory Van Ulft and King of the Lifts Instagram accounts Rory Van Ulft started training just after her fifth birthday the Ottawa native was crowned USA weightlifting under-11 and under-13 Youth National Champion in the 30kg weight category the eight-year-old girl is fighting a battle with a 90kg deadlift In a recent video posted on her Instagram account, Rory can be seen attempting a 90kg lift. The remarkable lift was nearly 3.1 times her bodyweight (~29kg), which makes the accomplishment all the more impressive. In doing so, Rory outdid her previous best record by a massive 10kg. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) In a remarkable feat of achievement, Rory Van Ulft became the USA Weightlifting National Youth champion two years after starting to train. Training nine hours per week, the Ottawa native dedicates four hours to lifting and five hours to strength training. She remains the youngest ever USA weightlifting Youth National Champion in history. Apart from lifting 90kg deadlift, Rory Van Ulft is capable of 32kg snatch and 42kg clean and jerk. As if it was not enough, the ‘world’s strongest little girl’ can squat 61kg as well! The question ‘How much would an athlete weighing X could lift if he/she weighed Y and had the same ability?’ has haunted everyone for a long time. The International Weightlifting Federation uses the Sinclair coefficient which answers the question and helps determine the pound-for-pound strongest lifters. With a Sinclair total of 213.738, Rory Van Ulft is the USA’s pound-for-pound best lifter for age 11 and under. While Olympic gold seems to be an ideal and realistic thing to pursue in the future given what she has already achieved, the standard 3 school student currently has no such ambition. “That sort of thing doesn’t really matter to me,” Rory says. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory Van Ulft’s powerlifting records are astonishing Rory trains gymnastics for nine hours a week as opposed to four she spends training powerlifting Rory won her first gymnastics medal in a local competition a while back she explained to her parents that she likes to do gymnastics because it does not involve lifting things over her head Rory is the current US Youth National Weightlifting champion at 30kgs in the 13 and Under Division and scores titles in 2020 and 2021.  *Rory van Ulft was seven years old at the time of this event *Rory was eight years old at the time of this event Cavan and Lindsay maintain that their daughter’s safety is their utmost priority Looking at the significant progress Rory Van Ulft has made in powerlifting and gymnastics one has to believe that her parents have left no stones unturned to keep their daughter safe from the hazards of her unusual hobbies Email: [email protected] As unbelievable as that number is to be seen among the athletes of strong physical statures proves her worth in the powerlifting industry A five-year-old Rory is featured in her latest Instagram post The video encloses a clip from almost 4 years ago when Rory had recorded a video of her heavy-lifting successes The whole clip has such a level of insane capacity to shock the world as has never been seen in the fitness industry Becoming the Youngest Athlete only at the age of 9 A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) the video alone couldn’t have made people motivated Thus she writes a very inspiring quote taken from Earl Nightingale “NEVER GIVE UP on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it READ MORE: ?You Inspire Me?- Arnold Schwarzenegger Lauds Special Olympics Power Lifter for Joining 500 Pound Club When the public gets to relive the moment when a 5-year-old girl achieved something extraordinary they couldn’t contain their excitement and enthralled reaction of the incident So little so cute and so focused and nailing the movement” mostly,all of the fans find little Rory adorable and at the same time extremely fierce: “This is cute and you are lucky to start so early most of the fans wishes her good luck for her upcoming bright future “Amazing video and great strength this is a reminder of how much you’ve improved keep up the good work “ It is not the first time someone is defying all the odds set by social expectations no one can deny the thorough talent and dedication Rory must have made an input of for achieving such an accomplishment that early in her life It surely does not only shock people but makes them feel a certain level of reverence for the child Watch This Story: Simone Biles Gives Heartwarming Tribute to Her Father on Special Day Van Ulft continues to post on social media about her daily progress in lifting The recent post again left the fans in a frenzy The weightlifting prodigy uploaded a video on Instagram where she is lifting 242 lbs with little help from her coach She wrote a quote from the famous American Football coach that said ?MEDIOCRE PEOPLE don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.” -Nick Saban. A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) Rory also mentioned her weight and other details 234.47 Sinclair… and 40 kg above the American record. Read More:?Despite the Physical Difficulty, Bodybuilding Veteran Preps for His Fit-for-50 Challenge With Brutal Back Exercises Indeed she is right since who would have thought a 9-year-old could lift twice or thrice her body weight People in the comments were very happy with her progress and commented on the same. People twice her age were surprised and one fan wrote Watch This Story:??Despite His ?Craziest Lift? Attempt of 405 Lbs Fitness World Frowns at Bodybuilding Beast for Flaw in Reps An impressed fan said, ?You are seriously awesome I love watching you,? while another encouraged her, and wrote, ?@roryvanulft????More strength to you!? What did you make of Rory Van Ulft?s prowess? Do you think she will break Olympic records when she grows up? Tell us your thoughts in the comments. Link Copied!10-year-old Rory Van Ulft?s Olympic weightlifting journey has only been on the upswing. Unlike most other bodybuilding athletes She began this sport as additional training to increase her strength for gymnastics she is lifting marvelous numbers in the gym as the audience watches in awe Rory has again made history by lifting weights nearly twice her body weight and taking another winning bow An Instagram video on Ulft’s official account showcases the 10-year-old calmingly walking on stage holding the 158-pound weight and lifting it with all her might it would be her because she won the competition and took home a gold medal The competition’s specifics were stated in the caption which read:?“This 72-kg (158-lb) lift at #usaweightlifting National Championships Week was over 212% body weight & just 1 kg below the heaviest #cleanandjerk EVER by a 40-kg weightlifter (and 5-kg ABOVE the gold medal-winning lift at this year?s IWF Youth World Championships?) A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) and the wholesome moment just made the video even better Rory participated in other competitions before she turned 10 Her Variety Village Open is another golden moment in her journey as a weightlifter The Canadian resident competed in the Variety Village Open right before turning ten Her challenge-related Instagram post said:??Aged only 9 years weightlifter and gymnast Rory Van Ulft just became the youngest PERSON (man or woman) in history ever to clean & jerk double body weight in competition.? Read More:??You Are So Strong?: Netizens Stunned as This 9-Year-Old Weightlifting Champion Lifts 242 Lbs Heavy Weight At the time of the lift,?the weightlifting prodigy weighed 32.8 kg?(72.4 lb) the Ontario native executed a clean and jerk What do you think of this incredible and youngest weightlifter Watch This Story:??Bible of Bodybuilding??7x Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Explained the Book that Got Him Into Bodybuilding Link Copied!9-year-old Rory Van Ulft’s Olympics weightlifting journey has been unique Unlike most weightlifting athletes excelling in their sport Van Ulft didn’t start as an Olympic weightlifter weightlifting began as additional training to gather strength for gymnastics she began posting incredible numbers in the gym as awestruck adults watched from the sidelines Rory Van Ulft could clean and jerk 100 lbs she made history during a local competition in Ontario In an event organized by the Ontario Weightlifting Association Rory Van Ulft became the youngest weightlifter to clean and jerk twice her body weight at the Variety Village Open the 9-year-old weightlifter uploaded a video of the lift on her Instagram to share the necessary details—age the Ontario native participated in the Variety Village Open weightlifter and gymnast Rory Van Ulft just became the youngest PERSON (man or woman) in history ever to clean & jerk double body weight in competition,” read her Instagram caption A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) The weightlifting prodigy also wrote she weighed 32.8 kg (72.4 lb) at the time of the lift The Olympic weightlifter performed the clean and jerk with a weight of 66 kg (145.5 lb) Ulft walks up to the barbell after rubbing chalk on her hands and while she takes a few steps to the side after performing the jerk Read More | Unstoppable 75-Year-Old Arnold Schwarzenegger Pulls Weight at Gym Lifting twice what she weighs above her head takes incredible strength Ulft has deadlifted three times her body weight Rory Van Ulft posted a video on her Instagram where she deadlifted 111 kg (244 lb) The Olympic weightlifter weighed 32.36 kg (71.34 lb) and was 9 years and 217 days old A post shared by Rory van Ulft (@roryvanulft) The weightlifter wrote that the lift was “over 3.43 times (her) body weight.” However she didn’t perform the lift during a competition and it’s not an official powerlifting record Watch This Story | “Bible of Bodybuilding”–7x Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Explained the Book that Got Him Into Bodybuilding What did you make of Rory Van Ulft’s incredible strength? Do you believe she’ll set Olympic records in the future? Let us know your thought in the comments.