If Connor’s last lift in 2022 is any indication, 2023 could be her year to remember.
Typically, rising powerlifting stars and previously unknowns are sure to emerge in 2023. Still, the prolific Heather Connor could be a mainstay. As the power dynamo looks ahead to another ideally productive year, she’s closing out 2022 in a way that’s perfectly suited to her unique talents.
On December 31, 2022, Conner posted a video on her Instagram in which the athlete successfully deadlifted 177.5 kg (391.3 lbs) for 6 repetitions. That’s six personal records (PRs), according to the black bar titles in Connor’s clip.
End 2022 strong. period.
Connor did a PR pull in a sumo stance using only a weightlifting belt.
Amazing PR deadlifts are nothing new for Conor. In fact, her status as one of the premier active deadlifters in the weightlifting world has grown.
Connor is the current International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world record holder for the 47 kg raw deadlift, and he achieved a massive pull of 185 kg (407.8 lb) at the 2022 IPF World Classic Weightlifting Championships. After a three-year absence from international weightlifting, the world-record-breaking deadlift helped Conner take second place against French prodigy Tiffany Chapon.
according to open weightlifting, Connor also holds the historical original deadlift world record for the 47kg deadlift. The athlete set the benchmark by pulling 192.5 kg (424.4 lb) in fourth place at the 2021 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals.
Some of Conor’s non-competition deadlifts before going all out on New Year’s Eve 2022 were also eye-opening. They might even make fun of the inevitable continued greatness of a weightlifter who pushes the limits with a barbell in his hand.
After making her debut at the 2022 IPF World Championships, Connor completed a 190 kg (418.9 lb) double deadlift during her mid-September 2022 training session — about 11 lbs better than her current IPF world record. Then, not to be outdone (alone), Conor deadlifted 202.5 kg (446 lb) in mid-November 2022. The pull beat her record mark by more than 20 pounds. Perhaps most notably, it was her heaviest pull ever – both in a sanctioned competition and in general training.
A former two-time IPF world champion (2017 and 2019), Connor appears to be gearing up for another strong fight in 2023. For one of the true powerlifting competitions in the world, it’s likely to feature a variety of earth-shattering deadlifts in the coming weeks and months.
Featured Image: @heather.e.connor on Instagram