Edith Murway-Traina is many things: a great-great-grandmother, a former dance teacher, and the life of the party. Now, for her 100 birthday on Aug. 8, 2021, Murway-Traina is officially the oldest competitive powerlifter. And yes, her status is even Guinness World Records legit.

“Lifting weights upwards of 40-150 pounds, Edith is smashing the competitive powerlifting circuit, dazzling viewers and judges alike with her graceful lifts,” a Guinness World Records release says.

Murway-Traina only joined a gym nine years ago—at 91 years old. The Tampa-based lifter was encouraged by a longtime friend who wanted to become more active, but Murway-Traina says she originally went to the gym “kicking and screaming.”

“While I was watching those ladies doing their thing, I thought I just as well should pick up a few bars, and I did,” she tells Guinness in a video interview. “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.”

Pretty soon, she was a serious competitor in the senior powerlifting circuit—and became highly decorated. In fact, Murway-Traina says that she’s run out of room in her home to put all her trophies.

“Once people found out I was in my nineties and I was doing all of these things, it got to be more noticeable,” she says. “People got to pay attention more.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Murway-Traina paused her training and competing out of necessity. During her last competition in 2019, Murway-Traina was 98 years and 94 days old.

Now, as restrictions loosen, Murway-Traina is back to training. She plans to make her competitive comeback at her next meet in November.

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