A woman who was born prematurely, weighing only 640 grams, is now a record-holding powerlifter at the age of 23.
Faith Lehmensich, born at only 29 weeks gestation, was “so tiny she could fit in the palm of my hand”, according to her mother, Andrea. Now, 23 years later, Faith is a talented powerlifter who won the female junior title at the Amateur World Powerlifting Congress (AWPC) last year. This year, she broke the junior world record in her class for the squat, a record which had stood for 15 years.
Andrea said that, while pregnant, she developed pre-eclampsia, a condition that can cause serious complications during pregnancy.
“During the pregnancy the doctors tried to push me as far as possible, but there came a time where they said ‘If we don’t take her out now she’ll be dead by the weekend.’ They told me that she only had a 10 percent chance of survival”, she said.
Baby Faith was frequently admitted to the intensive care unit with infections and developmental problems, which Andrea described as “heart-wrenching”.
Thankfully, Faith survived, and three months later her parents were finally able to bring her home, weighing only 1.7 kilograms at this stage.
Faith’s goal is “to become the best in the world” at powerlifting
Faith is currently training for the World Powerlifting Championships, which are being held in South Africa in November. Her goal, she said, is “To become a world champion, and to become the best in the world”.
“Faith found her place, and she has truly blossomed”, Andrea said of her daughter. “Through tears and hard days, she stood up again and again. It’s proof that we all have a place to find in this world”.
Faith is very dedicated to her goals, and now trains several hours a day, four days a week. “No matter how hard the journey might seem, there’s always a way through”, she said.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Faith’s story is inspiring, and a great example of just how strong premature babies can be. Every child, born and unborn, deserves to receive the same level of care and support to live the fullest and healthiest life possible”.
