Lani Hansen/Senior Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma– In a gymnasium filled with competitors from different schools, the Sulphur Bulldogs girls powerlifting team took five girls, amongst them Owen West (Mvskoke) who won an individual title helped the team win state runner-up.
The Oklahoma Girls State Powerlifting Meet in Dickson hosted 68 schools in classes A-6A. Five out of ten girls from Sulphur High School qualified for state and each of them showed out that day. The Lady Bulldogs came out as state runner-up and individually placed. The girls are Ally Dixon placed 11th, Codi Reid placed 10th, Edie Hunter placed 4th, Amera Gardner placed 4th and Owen West the state champion.
Owen who is a junior at Sulphur and Muscogee (Creek) citizen broke the state record by deadlifting 410 lbs becoming the 2022 Oklahoma Girls Powerlifting state champ. According to her mom Leanne West she sat three new state records.
Owen started powerlifting for Sulphur’s first girl’s team in 2020-2021 with her friend Shallen Mershon. The girls both qualified for state and individually placed runner-up.
She said, “This year I have accomplished a lot, I squatted 460 lbs, benched 170 lbs and deadlifted 410 lbs which tallied up to 1040 lbs. I broke three state records in squatting, benching and deadlifting.”
The team competed in four meets before regionals and state. They got regional champions in Durant.
Owen is beyond grateful on her accomplishments in powerlifting.
“This is an amazing accomplishment for me, I’m blessed to have achieved it and know that I am strong internally and externally,” Owen said. “It’s a good feeling, especially when having support from the community and my parents knowing I can do basically what I put my mind too.”
Last year, Owen not only went to state in powerlifting but also for softball and golf. She placed second in golf and with her softball team they won the national softball tournament in Gulf Shores.
From a previous article with Owen her main goal now is to continue to keep her grades up and do well in sports.
