SINGAPORE: At the recent World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships, Singapore’s Farhanna Farid was juggling the dual role of being both a competitor and a coach for her teammates.
While wearing the two hats required her to compartmentalise and switch focus during the event, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as she went on to set her 14th world record with a 220.5kg deadlift in the women’s 52kg class on June 14.
Her effort at the International Powerlifting Federation event in Lithuania saw her surpass her previous mark of 217.5kg set in December 2025 at the Asian Women’s Masters and Open Classic championships in Istanbul.
Farhanna said: “Interestingly, coaching has made me a better competitor, and competing has made me a better coach.
“Being able to experience both sides gives me a broader perspective and a deeper understanding of what athletes need, both technically and emotionally.”
At the LSC Sports Complex in Druskininkai, she cleared 202.5kg on her first attempt, lifted 215kg on her second try and then followed that up with a record-breaking 220.5kg effort to clinch gold in the deadlift.
Farhanna, who registered a 145kg squat and 72.5kg bench press, came in fifth overall, with New Zealand’s Megan-Li Smith capturing the title with a 486.5kg total.
Since setting her first world mark of 197kg in 2022 at the World Open Classic championships in South Africa, the 33-year-old has continuously rewritten the record, even while battling injuries.
While breaking records seems natural for Farhanna, she admitted that the pressure builds with every record, with most of it self-imposed.
She added: “No matter how many times I’ve done it, each record still feels surreal, and every record attempt feels just as difficult as the first. What changes is the perspective.
“Beyond the achievement itself, there’s a deep sense of gratitude and validation for all the time, energy, and sacrifices that have gone into the process. That feeling never really gets old.”
The latest record holds special meaning for Farhanna, who has had a challenging past year during which she felt both physically and mentally burnt out.
That did little to dull her ambitions, however, as breaking the world record remained a primary objective heading into the meet.
Seeded fifth in the nominations, Farhanna saw the potential to fight for a podium position this time around, prompting her to also invest time and effort into improving her squat and bench press.
She said: “This one probably means a little more than most because it gave me hope that I can continue being in the game for a while longer, despite feeling physically and mentally burnt out over the past year.”
It also offered an important reminder to take longer breaks between competitions.
Farhanna said: “If I want to keep finding joy in training and competing, I need to give myself the time and space to recover properly in every aspect – not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.”
With another record in the bag, her next goal is more personal – she is striving to stay healthy and rediscover her love for training.
She said: “It would be nice to train with minimal pain and not have to spend what feels like an eternity doing rehab before getting into the actual work.
“Beyond performance goals and competitions, I think rediscovering that enjoyment and rebuilding a healthier relationship with training is the priority.
“Everything else will naturally follow from there.” - The Straits Times/ANN
