Taranaki’s Ashleigh Hoeta breaks world record for bench press

Taranaki woman Ashleigh Hoeta has broken the world bench press record.

By RNZ

A Taranaki woman has broken the world bench press record.

Last weekend, Ashleigh Hoeta bench-pressed 317.5kg — the equivalent of 154 two-litre bottles of milk. She told First Up her achievement still had not sunk in and she did not “know if it ever will”.

“It’s still crazy to hear it out loud, to be honest ... But we’re just going to keep continuing to see how far we can push it.”

First Up presenter Nathan Rarere described the video, which showed her all set up for the attempt with someone yelling “right in [her] face”.

“I don’t really hear any of that going on. I am so in zone with what I’m meant to be doing that it just feels like I’m doing it on my own and no one else is in the room.

“But after I’ve done it and everyone’s running up to me, it is a really incredible moment.”

The previous world record was 294.8kg. Hoeta said she started to seriously consider the attempt only around March, when she lifted 265kg.

“I thought, ‘I’m actually sixth in the world after four months of doing this for a bit of fun. I think I can actually become the first woman in the world to hit 300kg’.

“So whenever I set myself a goal in mind, I have to get it. It’s a very good moment in my mind.”

Hoeta was also an arm-wrestling champion, and said the two disciplines were “sometimes” complementary.

“Arm-wrestling takes all the little tendons, and every little thing that you don’t usually feel with just doing bench ... Sometimes your arms are a bit sore but it yeah, it works!”

Hoeta started powerlifting in 2020 at her father’s encouragement. “But I was like, no, because I feel like it’s male dominant, and women don’t lift weights type of thing.”

Nonetheless, she decided to “give it a go” and when she won her first competition she saw her normally “very non-emotional” father “cry for the first time in my life”.

This inspired Hoeta to “take this to the top”.

In 2021, she became the top female powerlifter in New Zealand. A year later, she became the female arm-wrestling champion, before hitting her “all-time goal” this year.

Hoeta had tried other weightlifting disciplines but had injured herself deadlifting 270kg in March, so was now going to focus on bench press.

“Maybe in the future I might wander off and see what other world records are out there.”

Hoeta was aiming to hit 350kg in May, before progressing to 400kg within two to three years.

She encouraged anyone interested in powerlifting to find an experienced coach.

“Especially if you’re a woman, just know that everyone starts at a starting point. I started off three years ago at a 30kg bench and you know, to have increased it that much ... there’s always just a starting point. Just give it a go and have fun!”