148-pound woman achieves hefty goal

In the midst of a divorce seven years ago, Priscilla Ribic made a list of life goals.

One was to become a competitive powerlifter.

Last November, the Inland Northwest native was named Champion of Champions at the 27th annual International Powerlifting Federation’s Women’s World Competition in Norway.

At 148 pounds, Ribic, 34, cuts a slight figure. But in Norway, she squatted 534 pounds, dead lifted 524 pounds, and bench-pressed 286 pounds.

“I basically just go up there and do it,” Ribic said of her performance.

Ribic said she became interested in weightlifting at Cheney High School but never actively pursued the sport. Then in 1999, she walked up to Hayden Lake lifter Joel Legard at 24-Hour Fitness and asked him for pointers.

“I basically just found a guy in the gym who knew what he was doing,” she said.

Legard said Ribic was a natural.

“She’s very genetically gifted for the sport,” he said.

Legard said there were some early hurdles, including getting used to the gear used by weightlifters. But she never fell victim to the psychological struggles. He said some people starting out look at a bar loaded with iron and just can’t seem to get underneath it.

“She was never intimidated by the weight,” he said. “At least she didn’t seem to be.”

In addition to winning competitions, Ribic has set world records in the squat at 546 pounds, the dead lift at 551 pounds, and the bench press at 331 pounds. She set a world record for overall combined competitive weight at 1,388 pounds.

Ribic has since switched to Gold’s Gym on Spokane’s South Hill, but Legard said he still gets in an occasional workout with Ribic, who now gives him pointers.

“I helped her get into the sport, but she’s helped me out since then,” he said.

Ribic is now coached by Larry Maile, president of USA Powerlifting and head coach of the women’s national team.

Maile said that Ribic has continued to improve.

“I think she’s far from reached her potential at this point, even though she’s better than everybody else,” he said.

Ribic maintains a steady workout schedule and a strict diet. She said that to stay in her weight class she’ll limit herself to proteins like chicken and vegetables before a competition – though she does allow herself the occasional indulgence.

“I religiously have pizza every Friday,” she said.

Pepperoni and mushroom is a favorite.

Ribic competes as a drug-free athlete, which is essential to maintaining lifelong strength, Maile said. He said that increased calls for drug testing worldwide have helped level the playing field for lifters like Ribic who now aren’t as likely to be lifting against competitors on performance enhancers.

“That’s not to say she wouldn’t win anyway,” he added.

Legard said world-record holders like Ribic are regularly tested.

Ribic has won competitions and set records all while holding down a day job as a project manager for Financial Partners Inc. to support her and her son, Wyatt Skjothaug, 12. Ribic said her employer has given her flexibility to accommodate her lifting.

She also has corporate sponsors who cover the costs of competing.

Ribic said one of the biggest misconceptions about weightlifting is the belief that you have to start at a young age to be competitive. She encourages women of all ages to start pumping iron.

Sherry Franks, 43, a physician assistant at Family Health Center, met Ribic at Gold’s Gym. Franks said that with twins at home, she hadn’t given much thought to competitive weightlifting, but while working out, she would seek advice from Ribic.

Two-and-a-half years ago, Ribic’s partner moved to Hawaii, so she and Franks started lifting together. Four months later, Franks went to her first competition.

Franks said Ribic was patient, but rigorous, leaving Franks with sore muscles.

But a little pain doesn’t keep Franks from enjoying it.

“I think it’s kind of great,” she said. “I think I’m in better shape now than I was when I was 20.”

Next up for Ribic is the USA Powerlifting Women’s Nationals in Baton Rouge, La., in February.