Meet Edith Murway-Traina – the 100-year-old woman, who is now the world’s oldest female competitive powerlifter!
Edith Murway-Traina, a 100-year-old great-great-grandmother from Tampa, Florida, proudly holds the Guinness World Records title for the oldest female competitive powerlifter.
As per Newsner, Edith started weightlifting at the age of 91. In the last nine years, the Tampa record-holder proves over and over again that age is just a number. And her progress is quite impressive! She can now deadlift 165 pounds and bench press 65 pounds.
Edith reveals it was her friend, Carmen Gutworth, who introduced her to the gym nearly a decade ago. According to Guinness World Records, she said:
“While I was watching those ladies doing their thing, I thought I just as well should pick up a few bars, and I did. Going on a regular basis, I found that I was enjoying it, and I was challenging myself to get a little bit better and a little bit better. Before long, I was part of the team.”
Edith’s friend says she “will not quit” and anything that’s challenging “makes her more determined.”
Once the powerlifter started achieving praiseworthy accomplishments, she knew weightlifting was her true passion. She shared:
“As long as I could get a little bit of applause, I was happier each time I got more and more applause. Once people found out I was in my nineties and I was doing all of these things, it got to be more noticeable. People got to pay attention more.”
Apart from holding a world record, Edith is a mother of five, a grandmother of 11, a great-grandmother of 10, and a great-great-grandmother of two. Her family is absolutely proud of her, especially after she was honored by the Guinness World Records. Honey Cottrell, the 100-year-old athlete’s daughter, said:
“We knew she probably was one of the oldest but were shocked (and very proud of her) to be told she holds a world record. Our entire family is honored that our mother is a record holder, and Guinness World Records has given her this honor.”
Speaking to the New York Post, the young-at-heart record-holder said she hopes to add another trophy to her collection in November, adding:
“There’s nothing more that I can ask for than to open my eyes in the morning and know God gave me another day. You can’t ask for more than that.”
