A champion powerlifter is lifting the profile for future champions of the sport.
Riria Ropata (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira) is travelling to Sun City South Africa this week, representing Aotearoa in the Commonwealth Power Lifting Championships.
“Tuatahi ake ki te toa - koirā te wawata tino nui. Heoi anō ko tāku hoki, kia pai ake au i tērā atu wā i tū au ki te papa whakataetae.”
(“First of all to win - that’s the ultimate goal. However, I also aim to do better than my last performance on the competitive stage.”)
Ropata’s powerlifting journey started eight years ago. A trainer from Paraparaumu saw a video of Ropata doing a deadlift and invited her to join the Kāpiti Powerlifting Club.
“I te wā i tīmata au, ehara i te mea he maha ngā wāhine e hiki maitai ana. Engari i roto i ngā tau kua tino tupu te hākinakina.”
(“There weren’t many women powerlifting when I started. But over the years the sport has grown.”)
Ropata holds many international titles in the sport, most recently coming away as the Asia Pacific champion for the open womens’ +84kg division.
Fellow powerlifter Ali Fitzmaurice praises Ropata’s success over the years.
“[She is a] world champion, Commonwealth champion - she will be when she gets back - Asian Pacific champion, Oceania champion - countless world records, she’s just the bomb,” she says.
“We’re such a small nation that, when we actually go out on the world stage, we have so many dominant lifters, it’s just insane.”
Ropata’s personal bests currently sit at 235.5kg in back squat, 130.5kg in bench press and 255kg for bench press -the average male lifter is said to lift approximately 150kg.
“Kei te tino eke te taumata ki waenganui i ngā wāhine. He nui noa atu ngā wāhine ināianei e hiki [maitai] ana, [nui] ake i te 200 kirokaramu.”
(“The level is really lifting for women. There are many women lifting over 200kgs now.”)
Ropata says finances can sometimes be a barrier for those who chose to lift competitively.
“Ki te tae atu ki ngā whakataetae o te motu, [te] haere ki tāwāhi, he nui te utu. Mā mātau anō tērā e pīkau.”
(“It costs a lot to get to national competitions and to go overseas. We bear those costs.”)
Although Ropata has spent 20 weeks preparing for her upcoming competition, she also dedicates her time to her mahi as a pūkenga (lecturer) at Te Wānanga o Raukawa, teaching in the Kawa Oranga programme - Bachelor of Health Promotion, Sport and Exercise Science. The programme is taught out of Ngā Purapura - a world-class high-performance centre for Māori wellbeing, sport and exercise.
Ropata was 27 years-old when she started lifting. She says she hopes to lift the profile of powerlifting around the motu - particularly with rangatahi.
“Waiho te taniwha whakamā ki te taha. Haere ki te kimi i tētahi tangata e mōhio ana, tētahi whare hākinakina. Karawhiua”
(“Leave any feelings of embarrassment to the side. Go and find someone knowledgeable, a gym and just do it.”)
Ropata flies to South Africa this week and the tournament begins on October 4th.