Kate Evert, 75, Prepares for World Masters Powerlifting Championships
In October, Kate Evert will travel from Republic, Missouri, to Cape Town, South Africa, to compete in the World Masters Powerlifting Championships. The event is open to athletes aged 40 and above—Evert is 75.
"Seventy-six in November, heaven help me," she says.
Evert began lifting in 2018 after her children encouraged her to focus on her health. Since then, she has won four national powerlifting titles in her age and weight category.
Powerlifting at her age is rare. "The thing about competition at my age is that there aren’t many competitors. Like, hardly any," Evert says. "For three of those national championships, I was the only lifter in my division, so I got the medal just by showing up."
That isn’t to say she lacks confidence. Evert is sure of her strength and has researched her sole competitor in Cape Town. "Not dissing that woman at all," she says. "I’m just stronger."
Evert spoke about how she began lifting and how she’s preparing for the upcoming event.
How did you get into weightlifting?
It was six years ago—I was 69. I live alone, and my children kept telling me they didn’t want me to be the elderly woman who falls and can’t get up, so they urged me to join a gym. I hated sweating and wasn’t fond of gyms—they seemed boring and pointless. But I agreed, just to get them off my back.
At the gym, staff asked me about my goals. I said, "I want to get strong." No idea why I said that.
They paired me with a trainer who specialized in powerlifting. I disliked the workouts, but I stuck with it.
Six months in, my trainer showed me a video of an older woman deadlifting 204 pounds at the Missouri state championships. He said she was his client.
Later, he told me, "I knew I had you when you looked at me all starry-eyed and asked, ‘Can I do that?’"
He soon moved to a powerlifting gym, and I followed. We focused on squats, bench presses, and deadlifts, teaching my body the movements. It took a year before I could squat without falling backward.
What drew you to powerlifting after seeing that video?
She was older, like me, and doing something impressive. I thought, "Wow, you’re incredible." That inspired me—doing something most people my age couldn’t.
I also wanted to prove to my kids, "Look what I can do now. I’m not fragile."
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