COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — High school athletes Sara Quiñones and Hannah Duncan know a thing or two about beating the odds. Just recently, the Colorado Springs-based swimmers-turned-powerlifters set new records for squats, deadlift and bench press at a national competition in Chicago last month.
The two girls got to know each other as competitive swimmers and together turned to powerlifting to stay in shape when pandemic-related precautions closed public spaces, including pools.
For a few hours after school three days a week, Quiñones and Duncan meet at their home gym, Mountain Man Performance in Colorado Springs, to lay the groundwork for their next record-breaking lifts.
Monday, the focus is on squats; Wednesday, it’s bench press and Friday is for deadlifts.
Colorado Voices
Teenage Colorado powerlifters are breaking national records
Under the guidance of Mountain Man Performance head coach and owner Tyler Necaise, the workout routine has produced dozens of Colorado state powerlifting records and seven American records between just two of his clients: Quinones, 16, and Duncan, 15.
As a result, powerlifting became a passion for both, and they demonstrated natural talent.
In May 2021, Quiñones set her first two American records by deadlifting 341.7 lbs. Prior to this, no previous record was recorded, according to USA Powerlifting.
“People find it hard to believe,” Quiñones said. “I actually got drug-tested at my first nationals meet because they couldn’t believe that I had started so [much] later compared to other girls in the sport. So, it was questioned a lot.”
At last month’s nationals meet in Chicago, Quiñones added three more American records for deadlift and the total combined weight of three lifts: squat, bench press and deadlift. Overall, she has set 28 Colorado state records.
Quiñones credits perseverance, technique and the mind game she plays with herself as the reasons for her success.
“Usually, I don’t ask coach what I’m doing before a lift, or if I do know the weight on the bar, I pretend it’s not there,” Quiñones said. Instead, she’ll treat competitions like a regular practice day and focus on how she should be breathing, reminding herself to be patient. “It’s really mind over body. I’ve had to learn. I know my body can do it, but I have to trust myself in order to do it.”
Mountain Man Performance Head Coach and Owner Tyler Necaise jokes with Sara Quinones, 16, of Colorado Springs.
Duncan was also a top performer at nationals in Chicago, setting two American records for bench-pressing 176.4 lbs. The previous record was 148.8 lbs. in 2014. She also has set 14 Colorado state records.
“She really motivates me in bench,” Quiñones said about Duncan. “That girl’s a beast on her bench. I’m always like, ‘Oh, I need to get closer to her bench.’ We kind of balance off each other … and then we both, like, encourage each other.”
Colorado Voices
Teenage Colorado powerlifters are breaking records | Part 2
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Two Colorado teens are breaking American powerlifting records.
“I’ve learned that success is kind of a mindset,” Duncan said. “If you’re going to lift a really heavy weight and you don’t think you can do it, you won’t be able to. So, I think you kind of have to learn how to get past your own mental boundaries.”
For other girls who might consider powerlifting, Duncan and Quinones say go for it.
“It’s not as scary as it seems… and it will really help boost your confidence,” Duncan said. “It’s not going to make you look super muscular. When I’m out there lifting, I’m just there to lift that weight. I’m not worried about how my body looks or anything like that. And there’s definitely no body shaming in the community that I’ve seen.”
Jeremy Moore is a senior multimedia journalist with Rocky Mountain PBS. You can email him at jeremymoore@rmpbs.org.
