HASTINGS, Fla. – For many high school students, the summer before your senior year is filled with parties, hanging out with friends and maybe a part-time job. For Brianna Morrison, the summer before her senior year started out by becoming a world champion.
Morrison, a 17-year old Pedro Menendez high school rising senior won the International Powerlifting Federation World Championship this past June in Canada. Not only did Morrison win the gold in the women's sub-junior 43 kilogram weight class, she set three world records in the process.
"After they finished the third dead lift, we looked at the monitor and went, 'I won!" said Morrison. "It was just really surprising and really shocking. I'll see my medals sitting out or look at the pictures from the meet and I still can't believe I won this. When I was up there on the podium getting my medals, it was really hard not to cry because I am representing my country."
In powerlifting, winners are determined by the total weight in three disciplines; bench press, squat, and deadlift. At the world championships, Morrison set world records for her weight class in squat (221.5 lbs.), bench press (134.4 lbs.), and total (598.5 lbs.). Standing under five feet tall and weighing less than 100 lbs, Morrison is used to people underestimating her because of her size.
"Whenever they find out my numbers people are surprised and they say, 'Oh you are so small' but I've always known that there are going to be those kinds of people that doubt me because of my size or just because I am a girl. I always just push it away because I know I can do it. That is all that matters," said Morrison.
Powerlifting is a family affair in the Morrison household. Brianna's father Brian and her older brother Logan both lift and when she was 13, Brianna asked to join them.
"We were at dinner one night and I was just like, 'I want to give it a try.' I didn't think it would ever get like this," said Morrison with a laugh.
Next up for Brianna is the bench press nationals in Pennsylvania in September then raw nationals in October in Washington.