It didn’t take long for powerlifter Tamara Walcott to make a name for herself in the competitive scene. Since starting her career in 2018, she has won seven of the eight competitions she has participated in. That includes the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Bucked Up Showdown in Kansas City, MO, where she pulled the current raw deadlift world record of 288.5 kilograms (606 pounds).
Walcott is not done pulling off staggering feats of strength. On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Walcott announced she will compete in the 2022 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) American Pro over her Instagram. The event will occur at The Salisbury Center in Manassas, VA, from July 29-30, 2022. In what seems like typical Walcott fashion, she made the announcement while doing five sets of paused deficit deadlifts with 215 kilograms and three sets of paused deficit pulls with 199 kilograms. Check out Walcott’s announcement below, courtesy of her Instagram page:
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Walcott’s Journey
Sometimes there’s far more to lifting aspirations than simply picking up incredible amounts of weight. According to her website, Walcott entered the powerlifting sphere because she wanted to get healthier and find a quality, controlled outlet for the stresses of her daily life. Powerlifting seemed like a natural transition for such a goal with enough dedication and effort.
After finding her groove and losing a significant amount of weight (over 100 pounds) over a year, Walcott entered competitive powerlifting. She won her first two powerlifting competitions at the 2018 Rumble on Pratt Street and the 2018 USAPL 2nd Annual I STEP Invitational Veterans Day Meet — both taking place in Baltimore, MD. From there, it was mostly smooth sailing. Until the 2022 WRPF The Ghost Clash in Miami, FL, held on Feb. 13, 2022.
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Walcott entered the event with two lofty missions. First, to eclipse April Mathis’s all-time raw squat and total world records of 278 kilograms (615 pounds) and 730.2 kilograms (1,610 pounds), respectively. Then, while she was at it, shatter her deadlift world record.
Walcott had previously accomplished two of the feats in training — more than 14 pounds on the deadlift and almost 10 pounds on the squat. It was time to transfer that strength to a competition like The Ghost Clash and piece together a laudable performance.
Alas, it wasn’t to be.
Walcott missed each attempt at the world records. The combined pressure and anxiousness of competing against some of powerlifting’s most prominent names on a grand stage appeared to be too much to overcome. No matter. Competitive powerlifting may well reward continued resilience and diligence. The upcoming 2022 American Pro might be the perfect opportunity for Walcott to push for these stratospheric achievements again.
An Important Platform
As her name grew in prominence, Walcott appeared on The Ellen Show in November 2021. There, she discussed with Ellen Degeneres how she took up powerlifting while raising two children. To cap her appearance, she performed two raw deadlifts — 224.52 kilograms (495 pounds) and 247.2 kilograms (545 pounds) — in front of the live studio audience. Check out Walcott’s entire interview with Degeneres below:
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With great power comes great responsibility. Walcott understands the weight behind this axiom as a single mom with two kids, her own business, a nine-to-five job, and a budding powerlifting career. She wants to take great care to use her platform for one noble good: Making powerlifting more visible in the mainstream.
“This is so much bigger than myself,” Walcott told BarBend in a recent interview. “I’m trying to take it (powerlifting) to ESPN. What do we have to do to get powerlifting on the platform for the world to see?”
If Walcott can already go on national television with one world record to her name, the sky might be the limit.
The American Pro is Next
The 2022 WRPF American Pro will run from Friday, July 29, 2022, to Saturday, July 30, 2022. It will take place at The Salisbury Center in Manassas, VA. It will be the first time Walcott participates in the competition and her first event since the 2022 WRPF The Ghost Clash. You can purchase in-person spectator tickets online for either day of the event on the competition’s website.
Featured image: @plussize_fitqueen4.0. on Instagram
