63-year-old woman breaks own world record at an international powerlifting meet

63-year-old woman breaks own world record at an international powerlifting meet

At about 7:30 a.m. daily, Jeanine Watt wakes up to have a protein shake. Then she will spend an hour checking Facebook or playing on the computer before heading to work in the morning and the gym in the evening.

It might seem like the daily schedule of a student who is trying to balance work and school, but Jeanine Watt is 63 years old.

In June, Watt competed in the nationals for the Canadian Powerlifting Federation in Waterloo, where she set 2 world records for her bench press and deadlift.

In August, she defended those records herself at the Amateur World Powerlifting Congress in Orlando, Florida, the US. Although her deadlift record was surpassed by another competitor, Watt managed to break her own bench press record.

When being asked who she was outside of the gym, she would describe herself as someone who hadn’t decided what she wanted to do when she grew up.

“I have a biology degree. Then I went to become the union steward for the service employees at the hospital. After that I went to law school,” Watt said.

“I’ve worked as a stand-up comic. I opened for Elvira Kurt once, which was my big dream. And then, I was a hypnotist for a while.”

Recreationally, the 63-year-old used to play softball; however, that came to an end as her team disbanded about 3 years ago.

Watt says she also loves going to hardware stores to see the looks on employees’ faces when they watch her carry heavy items around the store by herself.

Watt, who signed up as a True Fitness gym member in March 2018, said: “I wanted to get in shape; therefore I decided to try some sports.”

Later that year, before signing up for the Canadian Senior Games in August, she tried mud runs and boating.

“The only thing I figured that I could get there with is running. I found out it was a bad idea … The track didn’t suit for me as I’m not built like a track athlete.”

I’m 63 years old now and I intend to break the bench press and deadlift record for 100-year-olds.”, Watt said.

However, she didn’t leave the Canadian Senior Games empty-handed as on the very first day she ever long-jumped, she won a bronze medal.