Meet the strongest woman in SA
Laryne Jefferies’ lifting journey started as an extension of her CrossFit pursuit, and it became her exclusive focus, though non-professionally, when she found a natural aptitude for the sport.
Emotions ran high at the South African Senior Weightlifting Championships in Boskruin when lifter Laryne Jefferies was recently named the 2023 female champion of champions in SA.
This announcement came on the final day of the national competition that saw Jefferies lift 200kg – an achievement she clocked the day before, just hours before the Springboks took World Cup Rugby gold.
Aside from the individual competition, Jefferies’ totals also helped the Gauteng team take first place in the battle between the provinces.
Emotions ran high at the South African Senior Weightlifting Championships in Boskruin when lifter Laryne Jefferies was recently named the 2023 female champion of champions in SA. pic.twitter.com/XD1wcIQxrW
— Alberton Record (@RecordAlberton) November 21, 2023
Jefferies, who has trained in Olympic weightlifting since 2020 and competes in the 71kg category, said, “It feels like it was a magical sporting weekend where everything was possible.”
She set new SA records for her weight class in the snatch (88kg), the clean and jerk (112kg), and total lifted (200kg), making her the strongest woman in SA, weight for weight.
“I had trained hard and also focused on correct nutrition, hydration and proper recovery in the months leading up, so I felt well prepared, but you never know how you will perform on the day, so I am happy that everything aligned. I knew I was going to try heavier weights than ever before, but I went in planning to have fun with it because I know then I perform at my best,” she said.
She has competed twice internationally in the African Senior Weightlifting Championships, bringing home a silver and three bronze medals from Cairo, Egypt, last November.
Pursuit of excellence
Weightlifters share the experience of many elite athletes in SA, with limited financial support from regulatory bodies and funding in short supply, making it hard to compete internationally at the level required to qualify for the Olympic Games, for example.
The pursuit of excellence is largely self-funded, and for Jefferies, it means that despite wearing the green and gold, her sporting horizons are limited and growing her capabilities is more of a personal journey than building towards international glory.
The 32-year-old’s achievements are because of a rigorous training schedule involving lengthy early-morning sessions six days a week at Movement Crew before she heads back to her studio to start her day’s work.
Weightlifting is very much a passion, but, explains Jefferies, she does not have the luxury to focus on it as a professional athlete because her career and livelihood come first.
And that career is as far from the gritty male-dominated world of weightlifting as can be – as a high-end fashion designer who specialises in couture bridal gowns and matric dance dresses. Jefferies’ days are devoted to making women’s dreams come true with her handwork and feminine creations.
She enjoys the apparent contradictions and the fact that it allows her to inspire young women to flex their muscles literally and creatively.
“The two worlds are different, but weightlifting is as much about technique and precision as couture is, and both require putting in the hours to get the desired result. I’m a firm believer in the benefits of weightlifting for women and girls, and I’ve started coaching other lifters in addition to my other commitments,” explained Jefferies.
While Olympic participation is not on the table due to SA’s insufficient world ranking in the sport, Jefferies has set her sights on competing in the next Olympic qualifier event, the IWF World Cup 2024, to be held in Phuket, Thailand, in April.
Follow her for updates on Instagram: @larynejefferies
