Burr breaks powerlifting world record
Stacy Burr is pictured here during one of her lifts. Photo Contributed.
By Melissa Rollins, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
Stacy Burr may have just taken part in an invitation-only powerlifting competition, but that doesn’t change how she views herself.
“I put my pants on the same way as anyone else,” Burr joked.
And while that may be the case, the Coker College graduate has had an impressive few years in powerlifting circles.
Burr recently returned to Darlington after traveling to San Diego, California to take part in the CETC US Open. Burr said that invitations were sent to the top five people of each weight class, which means that lifters from around the world, not just the United States, were there.
“It was beautiful just to be invited,” Burr said. “It was the biggest powerlifting event to date. There was over $200,000 given out in cash prizes.”
Burr said that the addition of prize money was nice because typically powerlifting events don’t have a cash prize.
“People don’t do it for the money,” Burr said. “It is about the pride and about making yourself better.”
And Burr did make herself better; in fact, she broke a world record.
“I set a new all-time world record for the 148 division,” Burr said. “I beat the previous record by 58 pounds. It was a little bittersweet for the previous record holder; she was there to see me beat it.”
Burr said that she is extremely proud to have broken the record, especially because of how much she beat it by.
“When someone sets a new record, it is usually by ten pounds or something like that,” Burr said. “I beat it by 58 pounds. That was crazy.”
With competitors from all over the country and all over the world, Burr it is humbling.
“I’m just from Darlington, South Carolina,” Burr said. “I’m really the people’s champion because I’m a nobody.”
The normally mild-mannered Burr said that there is a big change when she is preparing to lift.
“I’m really intense,” Burr said. “I yell and I scream. I’m probably the nicest person you’ll ever meet but when I’m competing I get really intense.”
Even though she is young in the sport, Burr said that having confidence when you hit the floor makes all the difference.
“Whatever you put on, you have to know that you can do it,” Burr said. “If you doubt yourself, it will probably eat you for lunch.”
When the competition came to an end, Burr walked away with a second place overall win, snagging first place in her weightclass.
“I went insane (when the results came in),” Burr said. “It was like I had won the world championship and it was for second place.”
Burr said that she credits her handler Jillian Lewis for keeping her grounded.
At the end of the competition, Burr’s final Wilks score (what determines overall winners for the females- a calculation of pounds lifted via bodyweight) was a 620. That is the current second highest female Wilks score worldwide; the only one higher is from Marianna Gasparyan, 627, who took first place at the CETC US Open.
