By Daniel Meyer
Clarence native sets national and statewide powerlifting records
She stands a mere 4-foot-10.
And she only weighs 123 pounds.
But what Maya Wright lacks in size and stature she makes up for in determination and dedication in her continued pursuit to become one of the most accomplished female powerlifters on the globe.
A 2016 graduate of Clarence High School, the 24-year-old Wright is impressing longtime observers of the bodybuilding and fitness industry thanks to her athletic ability, mental toughness and technique perfection, developing a unique skill set that allowed her to establish two American records and four New York state records for female powerlifting.
What makes setting and breaking national and statewide records even more impressive is the fact that Wright has only been training in the sport since 2015 and didn’t even compete in her first powerlifting meet until five years ago.
“I haven’t been doing this for very long, but I can tell you that I’ve come to absolutely love it,” said Wright. “I set goals for myself and work extremely hard to achieve them.”
Wright competed earlier this year at the Arnold Schwarzeneger Sports Festival, a prestigious event that took place in Ohio that is considered one of the most competitive powerlifting competitions in the world.
Records for powerlifting are established and appropriately categorized based on the body weight of each lifter. After confirming on the scale that she weighed 123 pounds, Wright proceeded to break two national records for her weight in the squat competition and what is defined as the “total” record for her combined effort in the bench and deadlift categories. The state records she broke for her weight were for the squat, the bench, the deadlift and the “total” for her combined scores in the bench and deadlift.
“It was a goal for me to get to compete at that festival and my additional goals were to challenge myself and attempt to break records,” said Wright. “I was pleased with my performance and I’m already training hard to return there in 2023 and build upon my success and achieve new goals that I will set for myself early next year.”
Wright trains with Carley Skarupinski, a coach at Mustache Fitness and Barbell in Tonawanda who credits her physical and mental toughness for her continued success.
“We’ve worked on building confidence with her lifting and the results are showing that she can accomplish what she sets her mind to by getting up and over any mental hurdles that serve as obstacles,” said Skarupinski. “Maya is flourishing as a lifter and it’s because of the mental victories she achieves when training and in competition.”
Wright credits her supportive family for inspiring her.
“Female athletes constantly set and break records,” said her mother, Randa Wright. “She sets goals and doesn’t give up until she hits them.”
Wright currently attended the University at Buffalo, where she is pursuing a degree in exercise science and nutrition in the hopes of establishing a specific career after graduation.
“I’d like to work with the U.S. Army and develop fitness programs for soldiers,” said Wright.
Her efforts have resulted in Wright achieving role model status in the eyes of other local powerlifters who have observed Wright’s journey to success.
“Last year a young female lifter recognized me while I was volunteering at a local meet,” said Wright. “She told me she watched my performance at an event in Florida and how she was inspired to sign up for a meet the same day. Until that moment, I did not realize the impact I would have on others, especially other females, in the sport. Representation is important. As a female athlete, I have the opportunity to be the role model that I needed and wished I’d had when I first started.”
Wright believes her rapid escalation in the sport should encourage anyone who develops a passion for a particular athletic event, especially because her original entrance into the world of competitive powerlifting was not that glorious.
“In 2019 I qualified for and competed in the USA Powerlifting Nationals and I completely bombed out, I mean it was absolutely terrible and just the worst,” said Wright. “But I learned from that experience, began training with my current coach and just used that experience as motivation to stay determined and focused. I learned from my mistakes and now I’m at the point where I push boundaries and constantly raise the bar for myself because that is what I have learned is the best way to accomplish anything that I put my mind to.”