A WOMAN from Neston has qualified for the World’s Strongest Woman competition taking place in the USA later this year.

Stella Higgins, 32, started going back to the gym about seven years ago.

She said: “One of the trainers turned to me and said, ‘you’re really strong, have you looked into powerlifting?’

Stella, a personal assistant, explained that she researched powerlifting on Google and entered a competition in Wales and won it.

Since then, she has broken multiple British records in the sport.

Last year Stella broke the British Squat record with 200kg, Bench Press- 112.5kg (British record) and Deadlifted 182.5kg which is the biggest ‘Total’ (weight lifted across all 3 lifts) done by anyone under 60kg in the UK.

But then, about a year ago, Stella wanted to try a new challenge.

She said: “I began to look into Strong Woman as an alternative. It’s the sort of stuff you see on TV with people lugging trucks and Atlas stones.

“On a whim I entered it. I competed last weekend and qualified for World’s Strongest Woman.

“It’s something that I never imagined.”

Wirral Globe:

The event will take place over three days in Daytona, Florida in November. Stella will take part in challenges such as carrying a car weighing at least 260kg.

Stella told the Globe: “I am going to be completely training and giving it everything for the next couple of months.

“There is quite a strong team of UK woman which is pretty exciting.”

She explained to help with her training, Stella has enlisted help from Rhiannon Lovelace who won the competition back in 2018.

Stella added: “I’m so excited but I’m so nervous. I’ve got to do it; it’s going to be an experience of a lifetime.”