Colfax powerlifter nabs gold at Pan-American Championships

By Cara L. Dempski

ORLANDO — Mikaela Leibfried is kind of a big deal.

Just ask anyone in the world of high school powerlifting.

The incoming Viking senior is one of Colfax coach Matt DeMoe’s best lifters, and she put that on full display July 6 at the North American Powerlifting Federation’s Pan-American Championships in Orlando, Florida.

Leibfried represented USA Powerlifting at the competition, and was the top seed in the 52kg (114.64 pound) group. She qualified ahead of her fellow USA Powerlifting teammate Annika Angelo and Ecuador’s Silvia Bunces with a combined weight total of 390kg (859.803 pounds), to Angelo’s 365kg (804.687) and Bunces’ 285kg (628.317).

The Colfax student tied her personal best of 155kg, or 341.717 pounds, in the North American competition before missing out on lifting 82.5kg (181.9) twice and finishing at 74.9kg (165.3) in the bench press. Leibfried then picked up 140kg (308.7) in the deadlift after missing 145kg (319.7) on her final attempt.

All told, the young lifter totaled 369.9kg (814.48 pounds) to bring home a gold medal.

Leibfried will be lifting again for her final high school season in 2017-2018.